U.S. voters say immigrants mostly take jobs others don't want, according to Pew Research

U.S. voters say immigrants mostly take jobs others don’t want, according to Pew Research

Posted by author November 18, 2024 Jobs

Spread the love

Immigrants outnumber U.S.-born workers in some occupations

U.S. voters say immigrants, no matter their legal status, mostly take jobs citizens aren’t likely to pursue, according to the Pew Research Center.

A Pew survey done in August revealed three-quarters of voters said undocumented immigrants fill jobs citizens don’t want, while a lower share (61%) said the same of legal immigrants.

When looking at occupations – the kind of work that people do on the job – immigrants overall accounted for the largest share of workers in farming, fishing and forestry (43%) in 2022, followed by construction and extraction (29%), according to a Pew analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Immigrants outnumbered U.S.-born workers in some jobs, such as manicurists/pedicurists (73%), taxi drivers (57%), and drywall/ceiling installers (53%), the analysis found.

Unauthorized immigrant workers accounted for the largest shares in occupations such as drywall/ceiling tile installers and tapers (33%), roofers (32%), painters and paperhangers (28%), other agricultural workers (24%), construction laborers (24%), and maids and housekeeping cleaners (24%).

Legal immigrant workers accounted for the largest shares in jobs such as manicurists/pedicurists (60%), taxi drivers (44%), interpreters and translators (38%), other life scientists (35%), and physical scientists (34%).