Poll: Fewer satisfied with treatment of migrants, minorities in U.S.

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A new survey Wednesday said two years into President Donald Trump's presidency, fewer Americans are satisfied with the way immigrants and minority groups are treated in the United States.

Treatment of African Americans, Hispanics, Arabs and immigrants fell below 50 percent in 2018, the Gallup survey found.

Whites and Hispanics were less satisfied with the treatment of black Americans than they were three years ago. Eighteen percent of black respondents said they're satisfied with the way society treats them, down from 32 percent in 2016 and 47 percent in 2013.

Instances of black Americans being treated unfairly are among the highest Gallup has measured in 20 years. The pollster said it shows "there is undoubtedly much progress to be made in the way blacks and minorities are treated in society."

The treatment of immigrants is the lowest Gallup has measured in 18 years. The analysis said the shift may mostly be political.

"The decline in satisfaction may well be a reaction to Trump administration policies and rhetoric viewed by many as hostile to immigrants or minorities," it said. "Americans' satisfaction with the treatment of most of these minority groups was largely stable throughout much of the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations."

The exception was in 2015 when several black men were killed by white police officers, some of which were captured on video.

Hispanics' satisfaction with the way they are treated fell from 46 percent to 37 percent. From a black perspective, Hispanics' treatment fell from 43 percent to 25 percent. Among whites, there was only a small decline in how Hispanics are treated.

Trump has made building a border wall a priority for his presidency, calling a national emergency last week to try and secure billions of dollars without congressional authorization. The administration says the wall is meant to stop human trafficking, illegal immigration, drug smuggling and other crime.

Texas author Ron Stallworth wrote a book called Black Klansman, which became the basis for the Spike Lee's film of the same name. He told UPI he wrote the memoir to show how he went undercover in the Ku Klux Klan to prevent racist violence in Colorado decades ago.

"We have moved forward, but we still are gripped by the past," Stallworth said. "White supremacy has always been a part of our fabric. Our nation was founded on the principle of white supremacy and white privilege."

Gallup surveyed about 6,000 people for the poll, including about 700 black and Hispanic Americans.