Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Press Release: African American Leaders Band Together to Oppose Senate Immigration Bill

I was wondering when would black leaders be courageous enough to announce their opposition to the contentious immigration reform issue. I wholeheartedly agree with their policy stance. From the Sacramento Bee:

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Wednesday morning, April 24 at 9am, the African American Leadership Council will host a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, to oppose the Senate Gang of Eight's 844-page plus, immigration bill.  During the conference, the Council will call on the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), to protect black labor by opposing amnesty and halting efforts to double legal immigration levels, as required under the bill. 

Many black leaders have recognized the harm caused by large increases in immigration as the Senate bill entails.  As the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recently reported, illegal immigration to the United States in recent decades has "depress[ed] both wages and employment rates for low-skilled American citizens, a disproportionate number of whom are black men."   

"The Senate Gang of Eight's immigration bill is not only impractical, but immoral," said Frank Morris, Council leader, and former Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.  "Increasing immigration levels through amnesty and new visa programs, particularly at the low-skilled level, will flood the labor market with millions more people, leading to higher unemployment, more poverty, and a lower standard of living for many in the black community."  Blacks have an unemployment rate nearly twice that of the national average.  The Senate's immigration plan to drastically increase the immigrant work force will continue to keep that number high. 

Coalition Leaders Urge the Congressional Black Caucus to:
  • Recognize the devastating impact that a legalization plan would have on low-skilled labor, particularly in the black community;
  • Remember its duty to protect black constituents by acknowledging the damaging impact mass immigration has on low-skilled workers.
"With unemployment at 7.6% this is preposterous," said Coalition member Charles Butler.  "I think most everyone can agree on the need to support working and middle-class citizens during a depressed economy.  This bill would provide green cards and residency benefits to illegal aliens when many Americans are hurting the most.  What makes sense is for America's jobs to be reserved for people who are legally entitled to compete for them."

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/23/5364961/african-american-leaders-band.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy


Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/23/5364961/african-american-leaders-band.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

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