Do We Want Donald Trump to Use the Military to Raid American Businesses?

Entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban has become a vocal critic of Donald Trump’s economic plans. In addition to making the rounds on national media, he is appearing at Kamala Harris rallies denouncing Trump’s tariff plans as a “tax on everybody.”

He also reinforces a theme many economists echo: Kamala Harris is better for business. He emphasizes is that tariffs affect the whole economy — not just individual consumers in isolation. When prices increase, consumers have to tighten their belts. This means small businesses that cannot absorb the revenue loss will also be forced to close.

“Those small companies that support communities, not only does their cost go up, but their businesses will just shut [down]. He is going to put who knows how many small businesses out of business.” – Mark Cuban

Another area where Cuban, as a businessman, is in sharp disagreement with Trump is over his draconian immigration policies. As we have written, the realities of mass deportation are horrendous: police and troops roaming the streets, raiding homes and tearing families apart; massively expensive detention camps; and a severe contraction of the U.S. economy.

Part of the reason removing millions of people from the United States would not immediately lead to prosperity for American workers is because immigration is not a zero-sum game. Immigrants, undocumented or not, pay taxes — particularly sales and social security taxes — which contribute to services small businesses use. Undocumented workers buy food, cars, and other items, which boosts local economies. When those economic drivers are removed, the economy contracts and American workers lose their jobs.

But more ominously, small businesses would face the same potentially violent future as American households. To find undocumented workers, National Guard forces and potentially U.S. troops would have to regularly raid small businesses to check the status of their employees. Even for businesses that do not employ undocumented workers, the disruption would be devastating. The threat of raids could also discourage immigrants in the country legally from coming to work, putting even more pressure on small business owners.

Or, in Cuban’s words:

“What would it be like if all of a sudden you’ve got a knock on your door and there was somebody from Stephen Miller’s squad asking you for the names and addresses and immigration status of everybody that works for you?”

Donald Trump has also doubled down on his threats to use the military against the “enemies within,” which include democrats or anyone else who has sparked Trump’s ire. Business owners could be the target of Trump’s vengeance if they are outspoken about certain issues. Do business owners want to risk losing their own freedom or losing employees because of the wrath of an unstable old man?

Tempting that kind of uncertainty and disruption is too risky a gamble.