Labor Sec’y Walsh: ‘Inequity of the Job Market’ Highlighted by COVID Means We Need to Deal with Immigration

On Friday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Varney & Co.,” Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said that the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted “the inequity of the job market, which means that we really need to have a serious conversation at some point in this country about immigration.”

Host Ashley Webster asked, [relevant exchange begins around 2:00] “And Secretary, you mentioned companies are hiring, more than 11 million job openings at last report, that’s almost two jobs per person out of work. I mean, how do you explain that?”

Walsh responded, “Well, that’s one thing, I mean, the previous question we’re talking about the job market’s strong, but yet we have so many jobs opening. And I think, there [are] a couple of things. I think that what the pandemic has done is put a spotlight on, I don’t know if inequity’s the right word, but the inequity of the job market, which means that we really need to have a serious conversation at some point in this country about immigration. We really have to look at — and when I talk to CEOs from companies all across America, they’re all in favor of immigration reform, they’re all in favor of pathways, of visas, of people coming to the United States and working.”

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