For the past month, the immigration debate of illegal immigrants has rocked streets all around the states of North America.

Hispanics, the Latino community and supporters have stormed cities across the states. In Los Angeles there was a 500,000 plus turn out of protestors; they made their beliefs and voices heard all the way to the United States government. The sting has many government officials thinking twice about the proposal of kicking out illegal immigrants and jailing anybody that helps them.

On the other hand, in the African American community the immigration debate has important implications for the black race. Since the start of colonization in the Americas, African Americans have been in constant oppression and discrimination. An outside force other than their own has always hindered finding jobs and a life of opportunity for blacks. For example, in the early 1700’s and 1800’s there was slavery and Irish immigrants whom received jobs over their black counterparts. In the 1900’s and now, the black race had to endure the Jim Crow laws, a failed GI bill, redlining and now illegal immigrants.

The truth of the matter is illegal immigrants have taken over the jobs that African Americans used to occupy. This is not only due to the immigrant influx from across the boarder, but also, the wage for workers in the lower end job sector. It's pretty easy to understand, one group denies a certain pay, the second group accepts the wage.

In contrast to other immigrants landing citizenship in North America, most have to endure a fierce check and have to satisfy different criteria to enter the United States. Undocumented workers are hardworking, but should someone illegal be able to have the rights and ability to work in a country where they are illegal? The numbers show that the notion of progression for African American is false, in reality, about 25 percent of blacks live in poverty, according to the 2004 census.

The Pew Hispanic Center released a report stating that 78 percent of illegal immigrants are from Latin American countries, 56 percent are Mexican. Rounding out the statistics was Asia at about 13 percent, Europe and Canada combined for six percent, last was Africa and others at about 4 percent.

Living as an African American is an infinite climb up; one step up, 2 steps down, the card we have been dealt is almost comparable to Native Americans living or lack of on this soil of the United States.

“Jamaal, all you’re doing is making excuses,” is probably what most readers are saying, excuses maybe, but truth can’t be ignored. In other words, history gives us the explanations of our present well being. Life is based on passed experiences and tribulations and only way forward is to address the problems of the past. I agree, it is the duty of a people to make the change, but change is only accomplished with flexibility.

Flexibility is a form of ideas conglomerating by two or more groups coming to a respectful agreement. African Americans have never witnessed this flexibility, only a glimpse and that was about 40 years ago. Think about it.