During his 2024 presidential campaign, Republican nominee Donald Trump has vowed to orchestrate the “biggest deportation event” the U.S. has ever seen if elected. His controversial promise stems from claims that both legal and illegal immigrants are taking jobs from U.S.-born Black and Hispanic workers. Critics have raised concerns, noting that such a mass deportation initiative could have severe economic consequences, costing taxpayers trillions of dollars and driving up the cost of living, including food and housing.
Trump’s Controversial Remarks on Immigrants and Jobs
Trump has repeatedly used anti-immigrant rhetoric, highlighting what he calls an “invasion” of immigrants into the country. At a recent rally in Reading, Pennsylvania, he claimed that immigrants, particularly from Latin America, are taking jobs from Black and Hispanic communities, as well as union workers.
“They’re going to be attacking — and they already are — Black population jobs, the Hispanic population jobs, and they’re attacking union jobs too,” Trump told the crowd. “So when you see the border, it’s not just the crime. Your jobs are being taken away too.”
His statements have drawn criticism from many Democratic leaders and civil rights activists, who argue that such rhetoric is not only offensive but also misrepresents the complex dynamics of the U.S. labor market. Janiyah Thomas, director of Team Trump Black Media, defended the remarks, claiming that Democrats have prioritized the interests of illegal immigrants over U.S.-born Black Americans and that job growth in the Biden era has largely been driven by illegal immigration.
Immigrant Labor’s Role in U.S. Economic Growth
Contrary to Trump’s claims, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other research suggests that immigrant labor is a key driver of economic growth in the U.S. and helps to create job opportunities for native-born workers. In 2023, international migrants, primarily from Latin America, accounted for the majority of U.S. population growth, and their contributions are integral to the U.S. economy.
Economists who study the impact of immigration on the labor market argue that immigrants, especially those working in low-skilled jobs, fill critical gaps in sectors such as agriculture and food processing. Giovanni Peri, a labor economist at the University of California, Davis, explains that immigrants often take on jobs that native workers are unwilling to fill, which benefits the overall economy. He pointed to his research on the 1980 Cuban immigration wave (the Mariel Boatlift), which found that Black and Hispanic wages in Miami rose following the influx of immigrant labor.
Immigrants Not Taking Jobs from U.S. Workers
Studies show that immigrant labor does not displace native-born workers, as many jobs taken by immigrants are in sectors that U.S. workers typically avoid. Stan Marek, who runs a Houston-based construction firm, said that immigrants are not taking jobs from native-born workers. “Many of my workers are retiring, and their kids are not going to come into construction and the trades,” Marek noted. “There’s not enough blue-collar labor here.”
Peri also argued that the U.S. labor market has a surplus of job vacancies that need to be filled. “We have many more vacancies than workers in this type of manual labor, in fact we need many more of them to fill these roles,” he said.
Economists also point out that when workers are unavailable for manual labor jobs, firms tend to invest in automation, rather than seeking out native workers for low-wage positions.
The Economic Fallout of Mass Deportation
Trump’s plan to deport millions of immigrants could cost the U.S. economy up to $1 trillion, according to experts. Peri warns that mass deportations would lead to a significant loss of workers across key sectors, particularly in agriculture, construction, and food production, which could cause food prices and the cost of living to skyrocket.
“They are massive contributors to our economy and we wouldn’t have fruits and vegetables, we wouldn’t have our gardens,” Peri stated. He added that the labor force of undocumented immigrants currently contributes about 4% of the U.S. GDP each year. A large-scale deportation effort would likely result in a huge economic downturn, with income loss, production decline, and costly logistics to round up millions of people.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen echoed similar sentiments in a recent interview, stating that immigrant labor is a crucial part of U.S. economic growth. “Immigrant labor is an important source of labor force growth,” she said. “On balance, it helps the economy grow without actually depriving other people of jobs. It’s not in any way a zero-sum game.”
The Broader Impact of Trump’s Immigration Stance
Trump’s rhetoric and proposed mass deportation plan have sparked a national debate about immigration’s role in the U.S. economy. While Trump’s supporters argue that reducing immigration would protect American workers, many economists and labor experts assert that immigrants are essential to filling labor shortages, driving innovation, and contributing to economic growth. As the 2024 election approaches, the debate over immigration policy remains a central issue in shaping the future of U.S. labor markets and economic stability.
(INCLUDES INPUTS FROM ONLINE SOURCES)
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