The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) plan to create a task force to study immigration issues and provide information about the impact of immigration reform on the black and Hispanic communities.

The CBC last week invited Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), chairman of the CHC’s immigration task force, to speak about immigration reform at the group’s weekly meeting; the small task force will include three yet-to-be-named members from each caucus.

The task force is designed to help the two groups coordinate efforts to pass an immigration reform bill while opponents of immigration reform attempt to stir up anti-immigration sentiment among black Americans.

A recent survey by the University of Chicago’s Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture found that 48 percent of black young adults agreed that “the government treats most immigrants better than it treats most black people in this country.”

At least one pressure group, the Coalition for the Future of the American Worker, is trying to capitalize on that sentiment by running full-page advertisements in The Washington Post and Roll Call.

Featuring a black man, the advertisement reads: “Amnesty for illegal workers is not just a slap in the face to black Americans. It’s an economic disaster.”

“It’s an obnoxious ad,” Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) said when asked about it.
T. Willard Fair, a self-described civil rights advocate who resides in Miami, founded the group.

“We need to give [the issue] some real attention. We’re impacted, but not involved in it,” he said, adding that illegal immigration is harmful to black Americans “simply because of where we are positioned in the socioeconomic structure in America.”

Some black lawmakers are concerned about the prevalence of anti-immigration attitudes within the black community and the potential impact on immigration reform legislation.

“I do worry. I encounter [anti-immigration sentiment] from progressives, anti-discrimination advocates,” Davis said. “A point I make is that every 20 or 30 years there is a fight over immigration. The pro-immigration faction ends up winning.”

He added that the “mean-spirited faction is not helpful” because “one day it is immigrants [being attacked], the next week it could be black Americans.”

Black lawmakers said the anti-immigration sentiment stems from a lack of economic opportunity and a history of discrimination.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) agreed that an anti-immigration perception did exist, but said it was a “false perception [that] there’s still discrimination and less discrimination against other people of color.”

The CBC chairwoman, Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), said, “It is a problem. We’re losing jobs … there’s a lack of opportunity and access, the schools are not as good … they live it every day.”

Anti-immigration perceptions are by no means widespread within the black community.

Polling conducted by the GOP-leaning Tarrance Group and Democratic-leaning Lake Research Partners for the National Immigration Forum found that more than 70 percent of white, black and Hispanic voters equally favor immigration reform.

The National Immigration Forum’s poll also showed that if immigration reform does not pass, 16 percent of voters would blame congressional Democrats and 12 percent would fault President Bush.

House and Senate Democrats have said they want to pass an immigration reform bill this year. But underscoring the tension surrounding the issue, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), chairman of the conservative Senate Steering Committee, asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to allow for a one-week review period before a bill is considered on the Senate floor.  

Reid has said he wants to bring an immigration bill to the Senate floor by May 14. To meet DeMint’s request, he would have to introduce the bill on Monday, May 7.

Elana Schor contributed to this story.