"It's not better today than it was yesterday," said Len Mills, the CEO and executive vice president of Associated General Contractors' Florida East Coast Chapter.

Although he would not identify the companies involved, Mills gave examples of several Miami-Dade job sites: At one, there were 450 workers on the job before Tuesday -- on Thursday just 112; at another, there were 114, and now there are none. He said the problem was also widespread in Broward.

Moss & Associates' Bruce Moldow said the company was experiencing "severely reduced" staffing on its projects, especially those in early stages working with pouring concrete and laying rebar.

"It's more, I think, because of rumor than fact," said Moldow, an executive vice president with the Fort Lauderdale-based company.

"The scuttlebutt in the industry is that there have been one or two actual raids, but it has impacted every job in Miami." . . .

Several construction companies say they believe that many of the workers may be documented, but are still afraid of being caught up in immigration raids.

"When you talk to the employees, the vast majority are legal, but they're Hispanic and they're scared they're going to be get dragged into something," said Moldow. "Nobody wants to get caught without their papers and taken in." . . .