MAGA Rhetoric on Immigration Becomes More Divisive, Targeting Black Workers.
In recent political developments, the spotlight has largely been on the Democratic side. However, before the Republican National Convention fades from view, it’s crucial to examine a significant, yet somewhat overlooked, shift in the GOP’s immigration rhetoric: the intensifying MAGA rhetoric that has turned even more vitriolic.
Previously, anti-immigration messaging from Donald Trump and his campaign primarily involved unfounded claims of a migrant crime wave. However, Trump and his associates have now escalated their arguments, asserting that immigrants are stealing jobs from Americans, with a particular emphasis on the supposed negative impact on Black workers.
The notion that immigrants are taking jobs from native-born Americans, including Black Americans, isn’t new. It has long been a focus for JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, who has supported this claim with misleading statistics. Vance’s selection as a running mate signals a renewed focus on this narrative.
Trump’s acceptance speech at the convention underscored this shift, featuring dubious economic claims about immigration. He asserted that 107 percent of jobs created under President Biden were taken by illegal aliens—a claim easily debunked by the fact that native-born employment has increased by millions since Biden took office.
What’s relatively new is the intensified effort to pit immigrants against Black Americans. This tactic was foreshadowed in Trump’s June debate with Biden when he claimed immigrants were “taking Black jobs,” a statement met with skepticism.
The volume of this rhetoric has significantly increased. At the Republican convention, former Trump adviser Peter Navarro, who is likely to play a significant role in a future Trump administration, claimed that “a whole army of illiterate illegal aliens” is stealing jobs from Black, brown, and blue-collar Americans.
In a recent Bloomberg Businessweek interview, Trump escalated his claims, stating that Black Americans would suffer greatly due to immigration. He claimed their wages had plummeted and their jobs were being taken by illegal migrants. Bloomberg fact-checked Trump’s statement, noting that most employment gains since 2018 have been for naturalized U.S. citizens and legal residents, not migrants.
Historically, such rhetoric would have raised questions about a politician’s suitability for high office. However, Trump’s strategy seems to be aimed at peeling away Black voters by setting them against immigrants.
Despite the cynicism, this new line of attack on immigration is factually incorrect. Data shows that Black unemployment is at historic lows and that Black wages, adjusted for inflation, have risen significantly since Trump’s term ended. The Bureau of Labor Statistics contradicts Trump’s claims of declining Black wages.
The surge in immigration has not adversely affected Black wages or employment. Many recent immigrants, especially undocumented ones, may lack formal education, but they bring different skills compared to native-born workers. This reduces direct competition between immigrant and native-born workers.
The narrative that immigration is an apocalyptic threat to Black Americans is not supported by facts. Whether this rhetoric will be politically effective remains uncertain.