Human rights advocates on Friday condemned former President Donald Trump’s comments about Palestinians and immigrants allegedly taking Black American jobs during Thursday’s debate with President Joe Biden, labeling the remarks as racist and insulting.
During the debate, Biden and Trump briefly addressed the ongoing war in Gaza but did not delve into a comprehensive discussion on how to resolve the conflict, which has resulted in 38,000 deaths in the enclave according to the Gaza health ministry, and has caused a severe humanitarian crisis marked by widespread hunger.
The war began when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting about 250 others, according to Israeli reports.
Biden stated, “The only one who wants the war to continue is Hamas,” to which Trump retorted, “Biden has become like a Palestinian,” a comment that rights advocates condemned as a slur.
“Actually, Israel is the one that wants to keep going, and you should let them go and finish the job. He (Biden) doesn’t want to do it. He’s become like a Palestinian but they don’t like him because he’s a very bad Palestinian. He’s a weak one,” Trump said.
On Friday, Trump reiterated the term ‘Palestinian’ in a derogatory manner during a rally, referring to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is Jewish, as Palestinian, saying, “He’s become a Palestinian because they have a couple more votes or something.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) criticized Biden for incorrectly claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants the war to end, and condemned Trump’s use of ‘Palestinian’ as a racist insult.
“Former President Trump’s use of ‘Palestinian’ as an insult was racist. President Biden’s touting of his military support for the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza was callous,” Corey Saylor, CAIR’s research and advocacy director, said in a statement. Israel denies allegations of genocide.
Paul O’Brien, executive director of Amnesty International USA, told Reuters, “To insinuate that being Palestinian is somehow a bad thing, as former President Trump did when he called President Biden Palestinian, reeks of racism and anti-Arab hatred.”
Human rights advocates have noted an increase in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias, and antisemitism in the U.S. since the recent conflict in the Middle East erupted. The war in Gaza and Washington’s support for Israel have also sparked months of protests across the United States, calling for an end to the conflict.
Trump also faced backlash for referring to “Black jobs” and “Hispanic jobs,” claiming that immigrants coming from the southern border were taking these employment opportunities.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to the criticism.
Immigration is a crucial election issue, and Trump has accused Biden of failing to secure the southern U.S. border, allowing criminals to enter. However, studies show immigrants do not commit crimes at a higher rate than native-born Americans.
During the debate, Trump said, “The fact is that his (Biden’s) big kill on the Black people is the millions of people that he’s allowed to come in through the border. They’re taking Black jobs, and they’re taking Hispanic jobs.”
The NAACP responded on X: “What exactly are Black and Hispanic Jobs!?! There is no such thing as a Black Job.”
Amnesty International’s O’Brien told Reuters that Trump’s comments on immigration were rooted in white supremacy.
“It is disheartening that false narratives grounded in white supremacy and racism about people seeking asylum at the border and immigrant communities in the United States continue to permeate our national discourse,” O’Brien said.
Adrianne Shropshire, executive director of BlackPAC, an organization mobilizing Black voters, said Trump’s remarks were false and that Biden should have challenged such claims more vigorously.
“The notion that there are specific Black jobs for Black people that immigrants are coming to take is utter nonsense,” Shropshire said.
Trump’s campaign has been attempting to court Black voters, with the former president visiting Detroit and Philadelphia in recent weeks. Some polls have shown a decline in support for Biden among Black voters, a historically loyal Democratic voting bloc.