Rally Opposing Amnesty Immigration Bill Set for July 15, 2013 in DC

May 30, 2013 - PRLog -- Recently, several credible studies have revealed how black Americans are disproportionately harmed by mass immigration and amnesty.  Although many in Congress are debating immigration reform, most policy makers who favor the legalization of nearly 11 million aliens fail to acknowledge that decades of high immigration levels is a root cause of the rise in unemployment, particularly among black Americans.  

They further fail to consider how current plans to add 33 million more legal workers within ten years will influence the jobs picture.  Researchers have found numerous links tying large-scale immigration in the U.S. to declining rates of employment for black Americans.  

The National Bureau of Economic Research filed a report asserting that 40 percent of the decline in employment for low-skilled black men in recent decades was due to immigration.  Studies by Borjas, and Borjas and Katz, have found that immigration reduced the earnings of certain native born laborers by as much as eight percent, and other demographic groups by 2 to 4 percent.

In an effort to reverse this dangerous downward trend, African American Leadership Council is taking action and have scheduled a rally opposing the Amnesty Immigration Bill to be conducted July 15, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. at Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC.

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks has taken notice and concurs, saying the immigration amnesty would undermine the job market for African-Americans. To this end, Congressman Brooks has introduced a new element in his opposition to the proposed amnesty program as part of immigration reform.

The African American Leadership Council was quoted extensively on House floor (Morris and Butler). Watch video here:  

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/05/rep_mo_brooks_immigration_amne.html

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."

In April 2013, the unemployment rate for blacks was 13.2 percent, (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t02.htm) according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the national unemployment rate was 7.5 percent. (http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000)

Brooks also cited a Pew Hispanic Center study from 2010 (http://www.pewhispanic.org/2010/09/01/us-unauthorized-imm...) 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."

Although the relationship between unemployment and immigration is finally gaining some exposure, many so-called political leaders, such as some in the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the House and Senate Gangs of Eight still gloss over the issue.

Recently, the House Immigration Subcommittee briefly addressed this topic when panelists presented a report from the Center for Labor Market Studies (CLMS) at Northeastern University entitled "Exclusive: Over a Million Immigrants Land U.S. Jobs in 2008-2010."

The study found unsurprisingly that unskilled immigrants were taking jobs in sectors like construction that young, American workers typically gravitate towards. Of course, some of these immigrants work in high-skill sectors, but the vast majority of them compete with young and disadvantaged Americans for entry level jobs - jobs often held by black workers and others in the low-skilled wage sector.  Andrew Sum, director of the Center for Labor Market Studies, estimates that 35 percent of these immigrants are undocumented.

Additionally, many blacks compete with immigrants, particularly illegal immigrants, for low-skilled jobs due to skill level and geography, and there are simply not enough of these jobs to go around.  Consider the fact that nearly 51% of African Americans do not have a higher education.  In 2011, 24.6% of blacks without a high school diploma were unemployed.  Even blacks with a high school diploma were unemployed at a rate of 15.5% that same year.

Over 22 million Americans are currently out of work or underemployed.  All wage sectors, including low-skilled and high-skilled jobs are at risk from this legislation as big business asserts the need for more cheap laborers to do those mythical jobs "Americans won't do."  Research continues to debunk this myth.  As the Economic Policy Institute's recent report reveals, there is not a talent shortage, but a jobs shortage.

Members of the Alliance include:

·         Dr. William G. Owens, President and Founder of the Coalition of African American Pastors;

·         Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson, President and Founder of BOND (The Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny);

·         Bishop David Hall, Prelate, Tennessee Headquarters Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Church of God In Christ;

·         Bishop Felton Smith, Prelate, Tennessee Eastern First Jurisdiction;

·         Frank Morris, Former Executive Director, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and Board Member, Progressives for Immigration Reform;

·         Assistant Bishop Curtis A. Rodgers, Northern, IL, Church of God In Christ;

·         Charles Butler, Veteran Host of The Take with Charles Butler;

·         Leah V. Durant, Former US DOJ Immigration Attorney;

·         T. W. Fair, President and CEO, Urban League of Greater Miami;

·         Vernon Robinson, Former Council Member, Winston-Salem, NC and former candidate for US Congressional Office;

·         Kevin Jackson, Radio Host and Executive Director, The Black Sphere;

·         Leo Alexander, Broadcaster, Writer and Political Commentator, Washington, DC;

·         Kevin Martin, Author, Writer and Political Commentator.

This Stop Immigration Reform Rally is open to the public and the news media. For more information please visit the BALA website: http://www.DCmarchforjobs.com