Gov. John Kasich says it’s not right for immigrants to be blamed for taking jobs away from Ohioans.
Kasich rejects the notion that immigrants – legal or illegal – are stealing jobs from Ohio.
“They didn’t take your job,” Kasich says. “What’s happened is you haven’t been given the skills and ability to adapt.”
Kasich has been a vocal critic of President Trump’s immigration policies. When asked why Trump keeps talking about the migrant caravan headed through Mexico to the U.S. border, Kasich says it’s a partisan tactic.
“People are concerned about the fact that we have a secure border, but I think it’s also connected to trying to rev up the base," Kasich says.
Kasich says the focus shouldn’t be on immigration but rather Ohio’s education system, which he says needs to better prepare people for the high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
Documented immigrants make up about 4 percent of Ohio’s population, or about 500,000 people. In May, Kasich created the Office For New Americans to help legal immigrants find jobs and support. The governor also urged DACA recipients to move to Ohio.
