How to Boost Black Employment in the United States

The population of the United States has increased by 59 million since 1990 and this does not include illegal immigrant numbers. The reason for the increase in the population is immigration and high birth rates among Hispanics, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Since 1990, Latin America has sent 45.5 million immigrants to the country to relocate, with 25 million of them coming from Mexico. The infusion of people has changed the balance of employment supply and demand because of an increasing number of people competing for the same jobs.

The unemployment rate for African Americans today is at 15.5 percent, which is close to seven points higher than the national average. For African Americans between the ages of 16 and 24, the unemployment rate jumps to 23.3 percent.

Areas of the country where African Americans should have been able to acquire a job are now dominated by Hispanics. In Las Vegas, the workforce is 22 percent Hispanic and 10 percent black. The workforce in Los Angeles is 43 percent Hispanic and 6 percent black. The state of Texas has a workforce that is 35 percent Hispanic and 10 percent black according to Rob Sobhani, Ph.D. on Philly.com. Sobhani is a former professor at Georgetown University but he serves as the chairman and CEO of the Caspian Group now.

If this country wants to help African Americans get back into the workforce, the first thing that should be done is manage the immigration system. The most common worker to be replaced by skilled illegal workers is an African American worker. Back in 1992, there was a gap of 4.5 percentage points between African American workers and white workers. Now, that gap sits at 7.9 percentage points. The unemployment gap is also responsible for creating a wealth gap between the two races.

Some people out there believe that African Americans simply refuse to work or refuse to work in specific jobs. But the statistics seem to prove otherwise. Back when the economy and job market of the country was booming (from the 1940s-1970s), the janitorial, construction, hotel, and restaurant were around back then too.

A multilevel approach is needed to create a solution to the problem of too many African Americans being unemployed in this country. Congress must first create a five year hold on immigration to the country, except for refugees, which total close to 60,000 people annually. While the hold on immigration is in place, the country must make it enticing for immigrants (illegal or legal) to return to their country voluntarily.

For those interested in starting a business in their home country, a micro-loan program should be created.

The United States should then remove its trade deals with China and focus on trading with countries south of the border such as El Salvador, Peru, and Mexico. In 2010 alone, the United States imported more than $8 billion worth of toys from China.

At the federal level, the DREAM Act has to be changed to include forcing illegal students to return to their home country after receiving their degree.