In a new paper, EPI economist Valerie Wilson projects that people of color will be a majority of the working class (those with less than a bachelor’s degree) by 2032—whereas they won’t be a majority of the overall U.S. population until 2043. “It is important to realize that the working class is more diverse than stereotypical images of white men in blue-collar jobs suggest,” said Wilson.
EPI’s Daniel Costa told the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest that because H-2B temporary foreign workers are sponsored by employers, these workers cannot switch jobs if they are abused—meaning they often toil for low wages in poor conditions. Learn more about H-2B visas and watch the testimony.