By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - Former US President Donald Trump claimed at a rally in the state of Michigan on Friday that jobs traditionally held by Blacks were being increasingly taken by newly arrived migrants, attributing it to the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
"It’s all gone to the migrants," Trump told supporters, claiming that the administration’s job numbers are “fake news … because they're going to come out with numbers right after the election that's going to show that all those people that illegally come across the border with their open border policy, are taking the African American jobs."
Trump spoke about Black Americans who, he said, have held jobs for decades but are now at risk of losing them and later warned that Hispanic and union jobs could soon follow a similar fate.
Reflecting on his record in office, Trump underscored his commitment to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), noting how he had made long-term funding for the institutions a priority.
"You're going to say, I wish I voted for Trump. He got me criminal justice reform. He got me the colleges, historically black colleges and universities," he said.
He highlighted his role in passing criminal justice reform, a policy he credited with bringing conservative votes necessary for success.
"I got criminal justice reform done, and it was really the Black population that wanted it more than anybody else," he said. "With the exception of who, Abraham Lincoln, I did more as president for the Black population than any other president in the history of our country."
Trump’s comments come as he ramps up his outreach efforts in Michigan, a critical swing state, where he narrowly won in 2016 but lost in 2020.