WASHINGTON, D.C. –  FWD.us, The Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), NAACP, and UndocuBlack Network today released a new fact sheet highlighting the profound economic consequences of current immigration enforcement tactics and their disproportionate harm to Black immigrants and Black communities across the United States.

As immigration enforcement intensifies across the country, Black immigrants are more likely to be stopped, detained, and deported—tearing apart families, destabilizing entire communities, and removing critical workers from the U.S. economy. These policies do not just harm immigrants; they harm U.S. citizen children, local economies, and everyday Americans who rely on these workers and services.

The new data makes clear what Black communities have long known: Black immigrants are deeply rooted in the United States and are essential to the nation’s economic strength. Disrupting their ability to live and work safely will result in massive economic losses and long-term community harm.

“Black immigrants are a vital part of American communities,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.  “This new report highlights their incredible impact on the country's economic health. Some people wrongly believe that immigrants increase costs for taxpayers, but that's simply false. Black immigrants contribute billions of dollars each year to metro economies across the country. Black immigrants should be treated with dignity, fairness, and humanity, not threatened with the erosion of fundamental rights that threaten their livelihood and well-being.”

“Black immigrants are essential to this country’s workforce, economy, and social fabric, yet we are being treated as absolutely disposable,” said Patrice Lawrence, Executive Director of UndocuBlack Network. “This data confirms what our communities experience every day. Aggressive enforcement against Black immigrants destabilizes U.S citizen families and causes real economic harm. These policies are short-sighted and inhumane for everyone, especially those most vulnerable.” 

“These numbers are not just statistics; they are our family members, neighbors, and essential workers. This data quantifies the devastating human and economic cost of enforcement policies that disproportionately target and destabilize Black immigrant communities. We cannot afford to lose billions in economic contributions while tearing apart millions of families,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance.  “Black people, including Black immigrants, built this nation, yet face disproportionate harm. These policies are an economic and humanitarian failure. We must choose justice over destruction.”

“Black immigrants are not only part of our communities—they are pillars of our economy,” said Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us. “Policies that criminalize and target Black immigrants will rip billions of dollars out of local economies, separate families, and reinforce longstanding racial inequities in our immigration and criminal justice systems. This is a civil rights issue and an economic issue.”

Key findings from the fact sheet show:

• 5.1 million Black immigrants live in the United States, representing 12% of all Black residents nationwide.
  
• Black immigrants contribute an estimated $182 billion to the U.S. economy each year and pay $60 billion annually in federal, state, and local taxes.
  
• 3.5 million Black immigrants are in the U.S. workforce, staffing critical sectors including health care, education, transportation, food service, and manufacturing.
  
• 1.7 million U.S. citizen children depend on the income and labor of a Black immigrant parent.

Across states like Ohio, Florida, New York, Texas, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts and California, Black immigrants contribute billions of dollars annually to state and local economies while filling essential roles as nurses, caregivers, teachers, delivery drivers, and service workers. 

The organizations urge policymakers to immediately halt harmful enforcement practices and pursue humane immigration policies that recognize Black immigrants as vital members of American society. Protecting Black immigrants is not just the right thing to do—it is essential to protecting families, communities, and the U.S. economy.

Read the fact sheet HERE. 

The report is part of FWD.us’ initiative to protect America’s workforce and is also part of the NAACP’s DRY ICE campaign.