Vance: Deportation Of Illegal Immigrants Will Boost American Labor Market

JD Vance, the GOP vice-presidential candidate, has laid out a plan for mass deportation that he believes will strengthen the American labor market. In an interview with The New York Times, Vance argued that deporting illegal immigrants would push businesses to hire millions of Americans who have dropped out of the workforce.

When asked how mass deportation would impact industries like construction, which now rely on undocumented workers, Vance pointed out that Americans were building homes long before illegal immigration became widespread. “We know that back in the 1960s, Americans built houses,” Vance said, dismissing concerns that Americans wouldn’t fill these jobs.

Vance highlighted the millions of Americans, particularly men, who are no longer part of the workforce. He believes that deporting illegal workers would create job opportunities for these individuals. “You absolutely could re-engage folks into the American labor market,” Vance explained, noting that millions of men and women have left the workforce in recent years.

The Ohio senator also criticized the way the unemployment rate is calculated, arguing that it doesn’t account for people who have given up looking for work. He pointed out that the labor force participation rate remains below pre-pandemic levels. “The unemployment rate does not count labor-force participation dropouts,” Vance stated, arguing that this is the real issue.

Vance also blamed businesses for relying on illegal workers, suggesting that Americans would take these jobs if they were paid fair wages. “Americans won’t do those jobs for below-the-table wages,” he said, arguing that mass deportation would force businesses to offer higher wages to American workers.