It appears the Trump administration’s immigration policies, paired with ICE’s crackdown, are causing businesses to suffer. In particular, one construction business in Louisiana is struggling to find its workers, not just because Hispanic workers are scared these days, but because people who are complaining “about Hispanics taking American jobs” also don’t seem to want to work those very jobs.
Shane Mulkey from Kenner, Louisiana, CEO of Vinyltech LLC, is the businessman in question, and on December 11, he posted a job listing for a roof shingle removal because he recently lost four of his workers (even though they had permits). Mulkey’s hiring post went viral, as he was optimistic, saying, “I expect the line to be out the door and around the corner.” Alas, “no one showed up,” and the CEO’s struggle became viral on other platforms.
For Mulkey, this might have been a wake-up call, as he posted a follow-up reflection on the matter, and how just toxic the party he voted for has become. “What we are witnessing in real time is what happens when people make a elected official their idol and their God… We just witnessed people who love their neighbors no matter their skin color and ethnaticty turn overnight and look at a race like cockroaches,” the CEO posted.
Thus, the CEO has reiterated to MAGA and fellow Republicans to put faith in the right place, even though he might have voted for the policies causing his business struggles. “Me and many others are for closed borders and you have to follow the laws I’m not advocationg to use workers who aren’t legal but I do take issue with some of the tactics such as bum rushing school buses and arresting parents in front of their kids,” according to Mulkey.
People online are advising the CEO to vote wisely next time
Of course, there was no shortage of critics, both from Mulkey’s earlier job hiring post to his follow-up realizations on the matter– and after he struggled to replace the workers he lost. “Pretty words, but is it just words? If you’re going to vote for Republicans again next election, this is all performative God-bothering you’re talking here… If you have truly seen the light, you need to vote like it,” advises one commenter.
Surprisingly, the CEO has agreed to such sentiments, especially one saying, “If not for hate speech, what speech is there for MAGA.” Sadly for Mulkey, the next big election in the US won’t be happening for three more years, and by then, the negative effects of the Trump administration’s policies on state economies might be more pronounced or might even worsen.
Trump’s speeches and policies have devastated Louisiana economically, for the record. Even the Lt. Governor who supported Trump is now calling for the US President to apologize. For people online who were vocal about their displeasure with the Trump administration before he became President again, it was rather hard to sympathize with Mulkey’s struggle, “By voting to grant power to the abuser, they calculate that they will be free from the abuse, but they are simply more fodder to be abused.”
