Trump reference to ‘Black jobs’ sparks new debate about immigration

[KARAH RUCKER]

THIS ELECTION CYCLE –

POLLS SHOW THERE IS A RECORD NUMBER OF MINORITY VOTERS BREAKING AWAY FROM THE NORM.

BLACKS AND HISPANICS HAVE OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED DEMOCRATIC FOR DECADES –

AND WHILE A RECENT NEW YORK TIMES POLL SHOWS 59% OF BLACK VOTERS SAY THEY ARE SUPPORTING BIDEN –

IT SHOWS 30% OF BLACK VOTERS BACK TRUMP.

WHEN THE SAME POLL WAS CONDUCTED JUST AHEAD OF THE 2020 ELECTION –

TRUMP WAS POLLING AT JUST 5 PERCENT.

IT’S SOMETHING TRUMP TOUTED DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

THE HISTORIC AMOUNT OF BLACK AND HISPANIC SUPPORT HE IS RECEIVING IN THE POLLS.

BUT – SOME OF HIS REMARKS ON THE DEBATE STAGE ARE ALSO LANDING HIM IN HOT WATER ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

[DONALD TRUMP]

the fact is that his big kill on black people is the millions of people that he is allowed to come in through the border. They’re taking black jobs now and it could be 18, it could be 19 and even 20 million people, they’re taking black jobs and they’re taking Hispanic jobs, and you haven’t seen it yet, but you’re going to see something that’s going to be the worst in our history.

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE N-DOUBLE A-C-P IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO X AFTER THE COMMENT WAS MADE –

“WHAT EXACTLY ARE BLACK AND HISPANIC JOBS?!”

AND THE ORGANIZATION’S NUMBER ONE TALKING POINT FOLLOWING THE DEBATE –

“THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BLACK JOB.”

PROGRESSIVE REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR POSTED ON X –

“I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND THE ‘BLACK JOB’ COMMENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF THERE WAS A FOLLOW UP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY.”

 

THE RESEARCH BETWEEN IMMIGRATION AND ITS IMPACTS ON BLACK AMERICANS IS EXTENSIVE.

HERE’S ONE ASSESSMENT FROM THE “CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES.”

“FIRST, THERE IS LITTLE DEBATE THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION PRIMARILY, THOUGH NOT EXCLUSIVELY, INCREASES THE SUPPLY OF WORKERS AT THE BOTTOM END OF THE LABOR MARKET. OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES SUCH AS BUILDING CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE, FOOD SERVICE AND PREPARATION, AND CONSTRUCTION ARE THE MOST HEAVILY IMPACTED.

IF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON U.S.-BORN WORKERS – IT WILL TEND TO BE ON THOSE WHO HAVE THE LEAST EDUCATION BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF WORKER WHO GENERALLY DOES THIS TYPE OF JOB.

SECOND, ALL OF THE AVAILABLE DATA SHOW THAT BLACK MEN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EMPLOYED AT THE BOTTOM END OF THE LABOR MARKET.

WHILE THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SUGGEST JOBS AND WAGES OF BLACK AND HISPANIC AMERICANS ARE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY MASS IMMIGRATION –

THERE ARE OTHER PAPERS THAT SUGGEST THE OPPOSITE –

LIKE THIS ONE FROM THE IMMIGRATION POLICY CENTER.

“The positive economic impact of Latino immigration is related to population.

St. Louis, for instance, has experienced a sharply declining population, and at the same time, very little Latino immigration. As a result, Saint Louis has closed more than a dozen schools in recent years, which has cost the jobs of hundreds of African American teachers, administrators, and staff. Our research shows that an increase in immigration from Latin America would have sustained St. Louis’s population, tax base, school enrollment, and most of the lost African American jobs.

More people from Latin America increases the vibrancy of a city, its culture, and the opportunities it offers. Further, research shows that specialization by encouraging different skill patterns leads to higher wages and more jobs.

[KARAH RUCKER]

IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FEELING THE INFLUX OF MIGRANTS –

THERE HAS BEEN VOCAL DISSENT FROM BLACK RESIDENTS –

EVEN IN DEMOCRATIC CITIES.

LIKE CHICAGO.

CHICAGO HAS SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON NEARLY 40 THOUSAND MIGRANTS IN THE CITY.

SOME RESIDENTS THERE – BRING UP THE AMOUNT OF CITY AND STATE RESOURCES GOING TOWARD MIGRANTS –

RESOURCES THEY SAY THEIR COMMUNITY HAS LONG BEEN IN NEED OF.

[INTERVIEWEE]

“We need that money in my neighborhood we need that on my block. So I’m asking y’all to use our tax money for our people. We need it.”

“You vote for the money for these immigrants today, and we’re coming for those seats, you can believe that.” 

[KARAH RUCKER]

BLACK AND HISPANIC VOTERS WILL CARRY HEAVY WEIGHT IN THE 2024 ELECTION.

BIDEN – AND TRUMP – KNOW THIS.

WHICH IS WHY IN THE DEBATE –

AND ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL –

APPEALING TO THIS GROUP –

IS IN THE HIGH INTEREST OF BOTH CAMPS.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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