In a heated debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump reiterated his belief that undocumented immigrants are taking “Black jobs,” sparking outrage on social media. The debate, held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, saw Trump make the assertion early on, addressing a question about the current American economy and segueing into immigration.
Trump’s statement, which was met with immediate reaction on social media, read: “And they’re coming in and they’re taking jobs that are occupied right now by African-Americans and Hispanics.” Many Twitter users expressed their disgust, with one user commenting, “Here he goes with the ‘Black jobs’ again” and another adding, “So the lesson he learned was to not call them ‘black jobs’ They’re ‘African American jobs’ now.”
Another user, Jotaka Eaddy, shared a GIF of Former First Lady Michelle Obama mocking the phrase during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, saying, “So I guess we’ve graduated from #BlackJobs to jobs that African Americans have — stop it… I’m still focused on my #BlackJob which is voting for @KamalaHarris to take her #Blackjob as President #Debate2024 #WinWithBlackWomen.”
The debate also saw Trump claim that he plans to deport 11 million “criminal” and “terrorist” undocumented immigrants who entered the country under President Joe Biden and Harris’ watch. He argued that the country is being destroyed by allowing these individuals to enter the country, citing crime rates in Venezuela and other countries as evidence.
Harris countered by bringing up Trump’s own criminal past and present, saying, “Well, I think this is so rich coming from someone who has been prosecuted for national security crimes, economic crimes, election interference, has been found liable for sexual assault, and his next big court appearance is in November at his own criminal sentencing.” She emphasized the need to turn the page on tired rhetoric and focus on more pressing issues.
The debate touched on a range of topics, including women’s reproductive rights, race, the war in Ukraine, healthcare, climate change, and foreign policy.
