Comedian and cultural commentator Amanda Seales has sparked fresh conversation around race and immigration in the United States.
She has stated that it is “preposterous” for Black Americans to harbor resentment toward immigrants—even if some immigrants have negative attitudes toward them.
In a recent social media live stream, Seales addressed the growing tension between some Black Americans and immigrant communities. While acknowledging that certain immigrants may express anti-Black sentiments, she argued that it is shortsighted and counterproductive to generalize or foster animosity in return.
“I just find it preposterous for Black Americans to really be on some like we don’t [mess] with immigrants,” Seales said. “And I know there’s some who are like, ‘Well they don’t [mess] with us.’ So I’m like, I just need you to know that it’s bigger than that—much bigger than that.”
Seales argued that America has never functioned without the labor, presence, and influence of immigrants, including those who initially settled the land.
“Never at any point has this country operated without immigrants, including the white people who came here—because they are immigrants. Even worse, they’re settlers,” she stressed.
Her comments highlight the ongoing complex debate about race, identity, and belonging in the U.S under the current Trump administration.
While tensions between minority groups have historically been fueled by competition for resources and systemic inequities, Seales suggested that solidarity—rather than division—offers a stronger path forward.
The statement has resonated widely online, with many echoing Seales’ point that the contributions of immigrants, from all backgrounds, are embedded in the country’s foundation. Others, however, remain critical, arguing that immigrant communities have sometimes failed to support Black struggles for equality.
“I get it BUT unfortunately black ppl need to focus on black ppl FOR ONCE. We [are] the only culture that never got what we deserved. Immigrants even cOme to our country and share our benefits and instead [of] complaining, can we just focus on black ppl? I don’t recall immigrants in slavery with us nfs,” one person commented on her video.
Still, Seales’ central message calls attention to a long-standing reality: America’s economic, cultural, and social fabric has always been shaped by waves of immigration, from enslaved Africans and indentured workers to modern-day arrivals seeking opportunity.
Again, her comments arrive at a moment when immigration is once again a hot-button political issue, as debates around border security, asylum seekers, and refugee resettlement dominate national discourse.
