Pro: Why Stacy Swimp Supports Updated Immigration Laws

“Black Americans are losing more jobs to illegal immigrants..."

Swimp: The laws that the states are attempting to enact and enforce will have no negative impact on our communities. Quite the opposite is true.

Loop21: How can enacting more aggressive immigration laws positively affect our communities?

Swimp: Dr. Carolyn Swain appropriately addressed this issue in her book of essays Debating Immigration. The fact is that Black Americans are losing more jobs to illegal immigrants than any other racial or ethnic group in the nation. Dr. Swain added that lax or non-existent immigration rules help businesses get away with hiring illegal immigrants instead of legal workers (i.e., black workers). The Pew Hispanic Center has found that high unemployment rates among black Americans are partially attributed to the large number of low-skilled immigrants. Ironically, black officials (i.e., Congressional Black Caucus) and some so called black leaders (i.e., Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton) who are trusted by many low income Black workers to represent them in the political debate on immigration are being “sold out” by those whom they trusted to represent their interests. These sellouts are misrepresenting “civil rights,” falsely comparing the criminality of illegal aliens to the struggle for equality that legal Black citizens have fought for righteously. Hence, many blacks are silent, assuming illegal aliens are in the same position we have been in.

Loop21: What is your opinion of the H-2A guest worker program?

Swimp: I agree with the finding of numerous experts on immigration that U.S policy should actively discourage the dependence of any industry on foreign workers. Research has demonstrated that dependence on a foreign agricultural labor force is problematic for the U.S. because of the seasonal nature of the work, which leads to high un- and under-employment. It also results in the inefficient use of labor. Efficient enforcement of immigration and labor laws should be the focus at this time, to promote the best interest of American workers, particularly Black American workers, who are the most vulnerable in the workforce. Therefore, the guest worker program, with our current illegal alien crisis, may be counterproductive to U.S. workers.

Loop21: Given our history in this country, do African Americans have a special duty to fight for the civil rights of immigrants? Why or why not?

Swimp: Civil rights, as outlined by the U.S. Constitution, are rights or privileges endowed to U.S. citizens (i.e., the right to vote or to receive fair treatment from the law). Illegal aliens are not U.S. citizens, but are criminals who can rightly be considered fugitives from the law. Illegal aliens violate U.S. laws by unlawfully crossing U.S. borders. Such entry is a misdemeanor, but, if repeated, becomes punishable as a felony. Hence, all who cross the borders are criminals being pursued by law, rather than citizens whose civil rights are being violated. Per the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 237 (a)(1)(B), “Any alien who is present in the United States in violation of this Act or any other law of the United States is deportable.” In light of the negative impact of illegal aliens on Black unemployment, education, health, and safety, it would be acting against our own best interest to fight for policies such as the Dream Act or to fight for illegal aliens under the false premise of “civil rights.”