Black American Leadership Alliance to Rep. Paul Ryan: Amnesty hurts Black Americans
In a letter sent to Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), the Black American Leadership Alliance said that granting amnesty to 11 million illegal aliens would have a detrimental effect on Black Americans. The group told Rep. Ryan that the unemployment rate for Blacks in the United States is nearly double the national level and that amnesty would have a "disastrous effect" on all low-wage workers.
Rep. Ryan is part of a national push to grant amnesty to the illegal aliens while also providing dramatic increases to low-skill immigration levels. On Sunday, however, Rep. Ryan did say that he did not support work permits for illegal aliens until the border was secured and both E-Verify and a visa tracking system were in place.
We, the undersigned members of the Black American Leadership Alliance (BALA) respectfully address this letter to your office to express our concerns over the possible trajectory that immigration reform may take in the House. We write in our capacity as leaders of the Black American Leadership Alliance, a Washington, DC-based organization whose primary mission is to further the economic and social interests of the black community. We are concerned about the irreparable damage to the black community that an earned legalization plan, or any other similar House bill granting amnesty to illegal immigrants, would cause.
We are concerned about the disastrous effects that passage of an amnesty bill would have on all low-wage workers, but believe that the impact on African Americans would be especially catastrophic. As you likely know, the African American unemployment rate is 12.6%, nearly double the national average. A number of studies have emerged in recent years by reputable organizations, such as the DC-based Center for Immigration Studies, which indicate that black workers will suffer the greatest harm if any far-reaching amnesty bill becomes law. We are asking that you oppose the passage of an amnesty bill for illegal immigrants, because of the dramatic effect it will have on the availability of employment for African American workers.
Click here to read the full letter.