This fact brief was originally published by Wisconsin Watch. Read the original here. Fact briefs are published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network, and republished by The Fulcrum. Visit Gigafact to learn more.
Are 'almost all of the new jobs' in the US 'going to illegals'?
No.
About 150,000 foreigners make unauthorized entry to the United States each month, yet job growth far exceeds that.
Former President Donald Trump said at a June 18 rally in Racine, Wis., "almost all of the news jobs" in the U.S. are going to undocumented immigrants, but that's mathematically dubious at best.
All immigrants constitute 18.6 perent of the U.S. labor force. Studies have found the top industries employing undocumented workers are agriculture, construction and administrative support.
Employers created about 272,000 jobs in May, higher than the average monthly gain of 232,000. That figure excludes farm jobs. More than half of the jobs were in health care, government and hospitality.
There were roughly 10.5 million individuals living in the U.S. without legal status in 2021, or about 3 percent of the population. Federal law prohibits hiring undocumented immigrants.
The U.S. unemployment rate averaged 3.6 percent in 2023, the lowest rate in decades.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
New York Times The U.S. Economy Is Surpassing Expectations. Immigration Is One Reason.
Statista Annual unemployment rate U.S. 2023
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment rate inches up during 2023, labor force participation rises
Pew Research What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S.
AULA Blog Immigration as the Current Main Driver of Economic Growth in the U.S.
New American Economy Undocumented Immigrants and the U.S. Economy
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Total payroll employment up 272,000, health care up 68,000, in May 2024
Population Reference Bureau Immigration to the United States
photo courtesy of Michael Varga.
An Independent Voter's Perspective on Current Political Divides
In the column, "Is Donald Trump Right?", Fulcrum Executive Editor, Hugo Balta, wrote:
For millions of Americans, President Trump’s second term isn’t a threat to democracy—it’s the fulfillment of a promise they believe was long overdue.
Is Donald Trump right?
Should the presidency serve as a force for disruption or a safeguard of preservation?
Balta invited readers to share their thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
David Levine from Portland, Oregon, shared these thoughts...
I am an independent voter who voted for Kamala Harris in the last election.
I pay very close attention to the events going on, and I try and avoid taking other people's opinions as fact, so the following writing should be looked at with that in mind:
Is Trump right? On some things, absolutely.
As to DEI, there is a strong feeling that you cannot fight racism with more racism or sexism with more sexism. Standards have to be the same across the board, and the idea that only white people can be racist is one that I think a lot of us find delusional on its face. The question is not whether we want equality in the workplace, but whether these systems are the mechanism to achieve it, despite their claims to virtue, and many of us feel they are not.
I think if the Democrats want to take back immigration as an issue then every single illegal alien no matter how they are discovered needs to be processed and sanctuary cities need to end, every single illegal alien needs to be found at that point Democrats could argue for an amnesty for those who have shown they have been Good actors for a period of time but the dynamic of simply ignoring those who break the law by coming here illegally is I think a losing issue for the Democrats, they need to bend the knee and make a deal.
I think you have to quit calling the man Hitler or a fascist because an actual fascist would simply shoot the protesters, the journalists, and anyone else who challenges him. And while he definitely has authoritarian tendencies, the Democrats are overplaying their hand using those words, and it makes them look foolish.
Most of us understand that the tariffs are a game of economic chicken, and whether it is successful or not depends on who blinks before the midterms. Still, the Democrats' continuous attacks on the man make them look disloyal to the country, not to Trump.
Referring to any group of people as marginalized is to many of us the same as referring to them as lesser, and it seems racist and insulting.
We invite you to read the opinions of other Fulrum Readers:
Trump's Policies: A Threat to Farmers and American Values
The Trump Era: A Bitter Pill for American Renewal
Federal Hill's Warning: A Baltimorean's Reflection on Leadership
Also, check out "Is Donald Trump Right?" and consider accepting Hugo's invitation to share your thoughts at newsroom@fulcrum.us.
The Fulcrum will select a range of submissions to share with readers as part of our ongoing civic dialogue.
We offer this platform for discussion and debate.