A perspective on immigration and the white working class

President Donald Trump has often offered rhetoric opposing immigration and calling for a tightening of laws against immigration to the United States of America. Most recently, Trump has escalated his attacks on a migrant caravan originating in Central America and making its way through Mexico  towards the United States. Trump has declared the situation a national emergency and insisted that "criminals and unknown Middle Easterners are mixed in." Reports from journalists familiar with the caravan have concluded that Trump's assertion is not substantiated by any evidence, and that the caravan consists of families wishing to escape violence and turmoil in Honduras and Nicaragua.

The call for a tightening of immigration laws may be a tactic by Trump to stoke fear and anger in his voting base before the upcoming November midterm elections. Regardless of Trump's tactics, however dubious they may be, the issue of immigration may explain more about the current plight of the white working class (WWC) than found at fist glance. In a recent interview, (that can be found here) Marisa Abrajano, a professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, posits a theory that the WWC may feel three distinct threats to their livelihood. First, a cultural threat, exemplified by a commentator saying "if you don't speak english and don't contribute, get out." Second, an economic threat, outlined by fear of joblessness and the familiar idea that immigrants are "stealing jobs" from the ordinary WWC citizen. Third, a political threat, which can be explained as the difficulty in comprehending policies that pose a threat to the WWC and to the country regarding immigration.

The threats perceived by the WWC are not without merit, but may be overstated through politcal rhetoric. A changing culture may create fear of loss and security to all classes and racial groups alike. The New York Times article "Trump's 'Purple' Family Values" helps to explain this commonly perceived threat. Many of the WWC identify closely with their family values and see change and interruption as a threat. Cultural identities are deeply rooted in generations of family values and religion. Immigrants arrive with differing religious beliefs and values, but should not be seen as an outright threat to the WWC as some rhetoric may suggest. In many respects, this is opportunity to learn through diversity and to create growth throughout the country. The fact of the matter is that legal immigrants will continue to come to the United States and change the cultural makeup of all areas in the country. This may be a fear to some, but should be put into perspective that culture evolves continuously and can be beneficial rather than threatening.

The threat of economic woes may be more precarious. Economists have long supported immigration and offered evidence that immigration often boosts native-born Americans up the economic ladder. Immigrant workers often contribute to the lowest rungs of jobs on the economic latter, and provide opportunity for upward mobility to current working class citizens. The economic reality is that immigration boosts supply in the work force with new unskilled laborers who can create growth in many markets as the labor force. Additionally, immigrant workers increase demand in the economy because they become consumers that American workers can turn into customers. This is not to say the some in the WWC may lose jobs to immigrant unskilled laborers. Although, the current economic climate does little to justify such fears. The United States boasts some of the lowest unemployment rates in history. Is it possible that an immigration fueled economic threat is largely a political and rhetorical tactic to divide the voting population rather than to disseminate factual information to voters? I am sure arguments can be made for either side, but the WWC appears to be the most susceptible voting group to perceive this as a real if not already present threat to their livelihood, regardless of evidence to support this threat.

The political threat to the WWC may be the most pronounced in today's media and voting trends. With a partisan government, the Republican party has clearly been responding more to the plight of the WWC voter when concerns regarding immigration arise. The Republicans are able to capture the multiple factors and threats affecting the WWC, build a centralized theme around those factors and mobilize voters to their side. Examples include the "build a wall" movement, and the consistent rhetoric regarding "boarder security." The Democratic party, although dominating the vote of minority groups in the United States, have failed to create a centralized theme that can bring voters together, especially when concerning the WWC voter and immigration.

This partisan divide has only further opened the Democratic and Republican fissure on the issue of immigration. The recent news story of an Iowan murder victim and her family from a WWC background quickly spread because the assailant was an immigrant. Some conservative voices on social media quickly latched on to this story. They created a spectacle around immigration and boasted white nationalist ideals. The victim's family called for a stop to the media comments, saying in an interview:

Our family has been blessed to be surrounded by love, friendship, and support throughout this entire ordeal by friends from all different nations and races. Commenters do not get use use this to inaccurately promote your 'permanently separated' hyperbole.

Furthermore, the article expounds that in a highly rural and working class community, the unemployment rate is only 2.5% and "it would be hard to argue that immigrants were 'stealing' native-born American's jobs. The problem of low, stagnant wages is one Trump has yet to address."

It is widely evident that the WWC and many outside the top 20% are experiencing wage stagnation. This economic woe may explain some of the fear of immigrant fueled economic threat. Still, correlation between immigration and the economic woes of the WWC are largely unsubstantiated, and have often been proven to the contrary by economists. Studies have shown that immigrants actually have lower crime rates than native-born citizens. This could suggest that Trump and his rhetoric may be useful only to stoke fear in the hearts of the WWC to vote Republican. Regardless of Trump's tactics, the Democrats have done a poor job of sending the WWC a comprehensive and centralized message regarding immigration and to put some of the perceived threats of immigration at ease. Although the WWC is struggling to earn a decent wage, the rhetoric regarding immigrants and immigration policy will likely not solve any of their economic woes. Let us hope future policies, whether Democrat or Republican, will address the WWC and the need for wage growth, rather than polarize and divide the voting population.