10 facts about immigrants in the fight against the pandemic, as Trump announces restrictions

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Trump wants to suspend immigration 2:48

(CNN) - United States President Donald Trump has announced new immigration restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic, even though his country has more confirmed cases of covid-19 than anywhere else in the world.

Although there are still some undefined details of Trump's plan, we do know a lot about the role that immigrants have played in the front line of this pandemic.

• READ: Trump explains the decree suspending some immigration to the US: it will be for those who apply for 'green cards' and only for 60 days

Foreign-born workers represent approximately 17% of the US civilian workforce. However, they make up an even larger part of the workforce in many jobs that are key to fighting the virus and keeping the country afloat, according to a recent analysis by the Institute for Migration Policy (MPI). Immigrants are also likely to be disproportionately affected by the layoffs, the institute added.

Here are some key statistics on immigrant workers in the United States from that analysis and also why these figures are so important at the moment.

6.3 million immigrants have jobs that are key in the fight against the coronavirus

The MPI used the 2018 census data to estimate the numbers.

His estimate: 6,259,000 immigrants have jobs at the forefront of the coronavirus fight, including health and social care services; at grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations; in the manufacture of food, medicine, soaps and cleaning products; in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; as bus, subway and taxi drivers; in the postal service; and scientific research and development.

1 in 4 doctors in the United States is an immigrant

In the United States, 29% of all doctors are immigrants. Yes, that is a significant number. And something else in history that this data does not reveal: in many rural communities, immigrant doctors provide crucial medical care.

• READ: These immigrant doctors want to help fight the coronavirus in the US, but they are caught on the sidelines

38% of home health aides are immigrants

The need for home health care in the United States has increased as the population ages. And a large percentage of home health care workers are immigrants. Experts have warned that if immigrants lose work permits, the shortage of assistants in this type of care will be even more serious.

22% of workers in the food industry are immigrants

Immigrants play a "huge role in food production," according to the MPI, and they represent a much larger share of workers in certain occupations.

Nearly a third of farm workers across the country were born abroad, according to census data. However, experts caution that official data probably does not reflect a complete picture of all those dedicated to agriculture in the country, because many are undocumented and are not necessarily included in those accounts.

But the official figures that exist reveal that immigrants have a leading role when it comes to having food on the tables in the United States.

37% of workers in the meat processing industry are immigrants

Given the increasing number of coronavirus outbreaks that we have seen in meat processing facilities, that is an important statistic to consider.

35% of workers in agricultural production are immigrants

Some of them recently told CNN that they were afraid to go to work for the coronavirus, but added that they had no choice.

483,000 immigrants work in supermarkets

That's about 16% of the nearly 3 million workers in retail grocery stores, according to MPI.

• READ: 12 changes to the US immigration system during the coronavirus pandemic

69% of California farmworkers are immigrants

California produces two thirds of the fruits and nuts in every country, in addition to a third of the vegetables.

34% of metro, bus and taxi drivers are immigrants

They are making sure other essential workers can get to their jobs, even though their own health is at risk.

6 million immigrants work in industries that are laying off large numbers of people

According to the MPI, immigrants "are also overrepresented in some of the industries that are not front-line, but have been devastated as more people follow the patterns of social distancing and more states and cities issue confinement orders."

These industries include lodging and food services; non-essential retail; personal services and private homes; art and entertainment; construction services; non-essential transportation and travel assistance.

For example, 38% of chefs and chefs, as well as 52% of service employees and housekeepers are immigrants.

Immigrant workers tend to have less access to government safety and aid networks. And, according to MPI's analysis, compared to its US-born peers. If they are in the same industries, they are more likely to have lower incomes and larger families, and less likely to have health insurance.

Donald Trump Immigrants Pandemic Work