By Rodney LaBruce

"There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice."– Montesquieu

Donald Trump was elected President of the United States—for the second time. Unbelievable! A convicted felon, probably racist, possibly a rapist, and an all-around bad guy. His return to the presidency has sparked heated debates about his legacy and impact, particularly on Black and brown communities. His claim of having done more for the Black race than any other president, even the Black one, has been repeated often enough to become a rallying cry among some of his supporters. It’s a bold assertion and one that demands closer examination.

To understand the validity of this statement, we need to analyze the key legislative and policy decisions during Trump’s first term. Were they truly victories for marginalized communities, or has their significance been exaggerated? Let’s dig into the evidence.

The First Step Act: Progress or Performative Reform?

The First Step Act, passed in 2018, is often cited as Trump’s most significant achievement for Black Americans. It introduced reforms to the federal prison system, including:

• Reducing mandatory minimum sentences for certain nonviolent crimes.
• Expanding programs that allow prisoners to earn early release.
• Making retroactive changes to sentencing laws, particularly the disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenses.

These changes were undeniably a step in the right direction. But to credit Trump alone is misleading:

1. A Bipartisan Effort: The First Step Act was the result of years of advocacy by activists, civil rights organizations, and bipartisan lawmakers. Trump signed it into law, but the heavy lifting was done well before it reached his desk.
2. Limited Scope: The reforms applied only to the federal prison system, which houses about 10% of the incarcerated population. The vast majority of Black and brown prisoners are in state facilities, untouched by this legislation.
3. Mixed Results: While the law provided relief for some, its implementation has been inconsistent. Many eligible prisoners have faced delays or barriers in accessing the benefits promised by the act.

Meanwhile, Trump’s broader criminal justice policies painted a starkly different picture. His calls for harsh law-and-order measures, such as reinstating stop-and-frisk policies and labeling protesters as "thugs," contradicted the spirit of the First Step Act.

Algorithmic Bias: A New Layer of Inequality

One of the most criticized aspects of the First Step Act is its reliance on risk assessment algorithms to decide which inmates qualify for early release or sentence reductions. These algorithms, meant to predict the likelihood of recidivism, are deeply flawed:

1. Built-In Racial Bias: The algorithms use historical data to assess risk, and because the criminal justice system has historically over-policed Black and brown communities, these biases are baked into the data. For example, prior arrests or convictions—often the result of racially discriminatory policing—can unfairly classify Black and Latino prisoners as "high risk."
2. Opaque Decision-Making: These algorithms are proprietary and lack transparency, making it nearly impossible for prisoners or advocates to challenge their decisions. If someone is denied eligibility based on an algorithmic score, there’s no clear way to understand or contest the reasoning.
3. Unequal Outcomes: As a result of these biases, Black and brown prisoners are disproportionately categorized as high risk and excluded from the benefits of the First Step Act, even when their offenses and behavior in prison suggest they should qualify.
4. Static Risk Factors: The algorithms often place significant weight on unchangeable factors like age at first arrest or zip code—factors that disproportionately penalize individuals from marginalized communities. This makes it harder for inmates to improve their classification through positive behavior or participation in rehabilitative programs.

Black Unemployment: Context Matters

Another frequent talking point is the historically low Black unemployment rate during Trump’s presidency. Black unemployment indeed reached a record low of 5.4% in 2019. But let’s look closer:

• An Inherited Trend: The decline in Black unemployment began under President Obama, as the country recovered from the Great Recession. Trump inherited an economy that was already improving, and the unemployment trend continued along the same trajectory.
• Pandemic Fallout: The COVID-19 pandemic, mishandled by Trump’s administration, disproportionately devastated Black and brown workers. By mid-2020, Black unemployment had soared to 16.8%, erasing much of the progress made earlier.
• Wage Disparities Persist: Even at its lowest point, Black unemployment remained nearly twice as high as white unemployment. Trump’s administration did little to address systemic wage gaps or occupational segregation.

In reality, the unemployment statistics were more a reflection of broader economic conditions than of targeted policies benefiting Black and brown communities.

Opportunity Zones: A Missed Opportunity

The Opportunity Zones program, created as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, aimed to revitalize economically distressed areas through tax incentives for investors. Trump frequently touted this initiative as a boon for Black and brown communities. However, the program’s flaws are hard to ignore:

1. Benefits for the Wealthy: Opportunity Zones largely provided tax breaks to wealthy developers and investors, many of whom funneled money into already-gentrifying neighborhoods. This often led to the displacement of long-term residents, rather than creating opportunities for them.
2. Lack of Oversight: The program lacked accountability measures to ensure investments directly benefited the communities it targeted. Critics have argued that it exacerbated economic inequality rather than alleviating it.
3. Superficial Results: While some neighborhoods saw an influx of capital, the benefits rarely trickled down to the residents most in need.

Opportunity Zones highlight a recurring theme in Trump’s policies: initiatives framed as transformative for marginalized groups but structured in ways that prioritize the wealthy.

Health Care and Black Communities: A Crisis Ignored

Health disparities are a significant issue for Black and brown Americans, and Trump’s record in this area is particularly troubling:

• The Affordable Care Act: Trump repeatedly attempted to dismantle the ACA, which had expanded health insurance to millions of Black and Latino Americans. While these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, they created uncertainty and fear for vulnerable populations.
• COVID-19 Mismanagement: The pandemic exposed and deepened existing health inequities. Black and brown communities suffered disproportionately, facing higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death. Trump’s downplaying of the virus, combined with a chaotic vaccine rollout, worsened the situation.
• Maternal Health: Black women in the U.S. are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Trump administration took no meaningful steps to address this crisis.

Rather than tackling systemic healthcare inequities, Trump’s policies often exacerbated them, leaving Black and brown communities more vulnerable.

Housing and Civil Rights: Rolling Back Protections

Trump’s record on housing and civil rights is another area where his claims of helping marginalized communities fall flat:

• Fair Housing Rollbacks: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) weakened protections against housing discrimination, undoing Obama-era policies designed to combat systemic inequalities.
• Neglect of Affordable Housing: Despite a growing affordable housing crisis, Trump’s administration failed to address the needs of low-income families, many of whom are Black and Latino.
• Civil Rights Enforcement: The Justice Department deprioritized civil rights investigations, including cases of police brutality and housing discrimination.

These actions undermined decades of progress in the fight for racial equity.

The Myth of Legislative Victories

Donald Trump’s claim to have done more for Black and brown people than any other president is, at best, a gross exaggeration and, at worst, a deliberate distortion of his record. While he can point to isolated legislative actions like the First Step Act, these efforts are dwarfed by policies that harmed the very communities he claims to have helped.

The reality is that Trump’s legacy for Black and brown Americans is not one of progress but of division, neglect, and harm. His rhetoric and policies consistently prioritized the wealthy and powerful, leaving marginalized communities to bear the brunt of systemic inequities.

The narrative of Trump as a champion for racial justice is not only a myth—it’s a dangerous one that must be countered with facts and accountability.