What happened last month at the Tupper Lake Pine Mill is something that is taking place across New York and much of our nation. Last month, officials from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided the location and detained nine employees.

This week, a company spokeswoman indicated she believed those individuals were being sent back to their country of origin. “We cooperated with the I.C.E. investigation,” said Jordan McKay of Matra Group, the Quebec-based owner of the mill. “Their determination on their end was that they were not valid to work in the United States, but again, we did everything on our side to verify their identification through the necessary processes.”

ICE determined all nine employees from the mill on Feb. 18 were not authorized to work in the U.S., according to McKay. She said the company stands by its employment eligibility verification processes and procedures — known as the Form I-9, which she said they completed with all of the required verification.

While the mill works to hire new employees and get production back on track, the crackdown by ICE — which President Donald Trump is calling for more of — will have other impacts on the Adirondacks. For years, the hospitality, lumber and farming industries has relied on migrant workers to assist during some of the busiest times of the year — especially the summer months.

Though many voters made clear that one of their priorities was securing the borders, including Canada, there are consequences to every order. In this case, the region is losing valuable contributions to our community through those who are working here for a better life than the country from which they came.

Potential deportation of these individuals sends a sign to future migrants here and around our nation that their services, though needed, could put them in jeopardy. Though that may make some in our region and the United States believe they are more secure, it has significant ramifications for our economy this summer.

We already know there is a labor crisis with those who currently live here. If jobs are not being filled by those residents, what are the alternatives?

That question is worth pondering as the tourism season moves closer.