Rep. Mo Brooks: Immigration amnesty program would undermine job market for African-Americans

By Paul Gattis
on May 15, 2013 at 2:49 PM, updated May 15, 2013 at 4:55 PM
al.com



U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks introduced a new element today in his opposition to the proposed amnesty program as part of immigration reform.

Speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives, Brooks, R-Huntsville, said providing a pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens "undermines millions of African-American workers' incomes and job searches by flooding the American market with cheap labor."

Brooks said in his speech on the House floor that he was basing his comments on those made last month by Dr. Frank Morris, leader of the African American Leadership Council. Morris said that granting legal standing to illegal aliens would further inflate the unemployment rate among blacks, which he said was nearly twice the national average.

In April 2013, the unemployment rate for blacks was 13.2 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the national unemployment rate was 7.5 percent.

"Dr. Morris is right," Brooks said. "Amnesty undermines millions of African-American workers' incomes and job searches by flooding the American market with cheap labor."

Brooks also alluded to comments made by Charles Butler, another member of the African American Leadership Council.

"This bill would provide green cards and residency benefits to illegal aliens when many Americans are hurting the most," Butler said in a press released published by The Wall Street Journal last month. "What makes sense is for America's jobs to be reserved for people who are legally entitled to compete for them."

Brooks also cited a Pew Hispanic Center study from 2010 that said 7.8 million illegal aliens held jobs in the U.S. in 2009.

"That's 7.8 million job opportunities that would be opening up for American workers if the President would enforce federal immigration laws," Brooks said. "The way to help our blue collar and low-wage workers is not to flood the market with illegal aliens.

"The way to help America's blue collar and low-wage workers is by denying American jobs to illegal aliens, thus forcing blue-collar wages up and helping workers and their families pursue the American dream.

Brooks took part in a press conference with other GOP congressmen speaking out against the amnesty proposal pushed by President Obama and currently being considered in the Senate.

"The White House and Congress should be fighting for American jobs for American citizens," Brooks said, "not jobs for illegal aliens."

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