What is the historic relationship between hard economic times and anti-illegal immigration sentiment.?

jajajaja

its because americans are too lazy to get a job so they start to ***** about how immigrant are taking there jobs away.
thats is just bull crap
i have never seen a white guy out there in the fields picking up strawberries!

Bobbi

Maybe because the illegals are devaluing wages in the construction and road crew industry. You know, the jobs no American wants. Illegals and migrants already control the meat-packing industry, once good paying jobs pay minimum w/o benefits to migrant workers. And I work in the social services field. I am looking for a new job for the fall (my agency was cut back). I haven't had luck, since I do not speak SPANISH. This is America !!! (I speak two languages) The Hispanic immigrants refuse to learn and speak English, and expect everyone to change to 'help them'. I think that is the reason for the anti-illegal sentiment.

tim

Of course there is a correlation between anti-illegal immigration sentiment and tough economic times. How do you expect Americans to react when there is an 8% unemployment rate in the US and illegal immigrants constituting 5% of the work force? I wonder how the US unemployment would drop if the illegal aliens were not allowed to work and would then self deport.

http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=107

The unemployment rate in Mexico is 4%.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html#Econ

Americans have complained about it even before the downturn in the economy but this has escalated because Americans do not like other Americans losing jobs to people who would take 30-50% less pay because they are here illegally and are coming from economies where they would get paid a fraction of what they are getting paid here.

The "hatred" is due to illegal aliens, primarily from central and south America not respecting the laws of the US. Whether it is illegal entry, illegal unemployment, tax evasion, identity theft/fraud, drunk driving, or the social costs of them being here with the closing down emergency rooms, with the costs of 5-15% of school children being from illegal aliens, instate college tuition rates for illegals who have broken the law by being here but Americans in other states having to pay out of state tuition as well as competing for seats with people who are not even supposed to be here. Some illegal alien proponents would argue that the best students should be allowed to attend. Well, I wonder how would Mexican students feel about students from China and India going to Mexico and competing with them? I am sure Mexico would love illegal aliens from Africa becoming 5% of their work force and having to press 1 on the phone to speak spanish or 2 to speak an african dialect. They can't even handle Guatamalans in their country.

Some people also call it racism to enforce immigration laws. Why would that be? Don't the immigration laws apply to hispanics or should they get special treatment? I think it is actually unfair that primarily hispanics have benefited from the amnesty granted under the Reagan administration and that hispanics who constitute 70-80% of the current illegal alien population will again benefit from the second amnesty oops I meant immigration reform where they have to pay a fine. It really isn't a fine when you are given something for paying a cost. It is really a transaction. It's kind of like paying for a fine for driving in the car pool lane without enough people but the court also gives you a car pool lane pass for the year after the fine. hmmm. I know plenty of people who would pay 5-10 thousand for US citizenship.

I guess it boils down to what is fair under the rule of law. Politicians not enforcing the law because it is not politically correct and Americans suffering because of it.

dancing_smurf

A part of the reason for the attention that illegal immigration has been given is because legal workers have lost their jobs and jobs that may be available to them have been taken by illegal workers. So anger builds from frustration that some one who has no legal right to be in the country is working while someone who has a legal right to be here cannot work.

Another reason has to do with the fact Americans pride ourselves about being a country founded on laws and equality. Illegal immigrants act contrary to that ideal and during tough economic times imagery about being patriotic and neighbors helping each other through tough times becomes more prevalent during tough economic times. Focusing on illegal immigration in the media highlights the contrast between patriotism and those who break our laws.

With that said I believe people lash out against Mexicans is because very few Mexicans are publicly notable. Most of the time when you see Mexicans on television it is when they are being rounded up as a part of a raid on business that hired illegal workers. The image that most Americans have of Mexicans are low paid workers who typically enter America illegally for work.

My feeling is illegal immigrant issue is prevalent during this economic tough time for two reasons. First is the fact legal workers have been denied to some extent the right to work because of illegal immigrants who are in their job.

Second reason is the Bush administration ignored the immigration problem. Granted they proposed an amnesty program but the resistance to it is rooted in 1987 when Reagan gave amnesty to illegal immigrants. The amnesty some will argue did not help and made America's immigration problem even worse. Now, Obama is trying to address the issue and will face fierce opposition for any program that appears to be a prima facia amnesty legislation. My feeling is the solution is tighter legislation and removal of the anchor baby legislation will solve a large percentage of the immigration issue.

So the focus on illegal immigration is driven in part by the economic down-turn and the debate that is occurring on what to do on illegal immigration in this country.

penguinboss925

Yes it is true, when times are good and inflation is on the rise, the best way to stop it, is to open the borders and let workers in. Though it is political suicide to talk about bringing in cheaper labor when times are tough.

America is full of nuts

Not at all, illegal immigration is taking away American jobs period. Actually, I think we need to stop all immigration legal or other wise and let the people here prosper. We also need to stop sending our jobs overseas and aide overseas period. We need to start taking care of our own period.

Erick

Maybe, but I think it just so happens that both issues have risen in prominence within the same time period.

I think it is just citizens who want to keep the laws and rules of their country.

B__O__M__B__S__H__E__L__L

What do you expect us to do hand the country over to illegals ? Only problem I seen is when legal Mexican who used fraud to be legal but is illegal sets the bar

Muerto Mujados

Illegal alien isn't a race or nationality. It's a legal status. It's always the cowards who scream racism when they can't justify their behavior any other way. Nice try, but no sale. That's not going to work on Americans anymore.

brctln2

Funny that the SPLC does not name Hispanics groups of hate like Mecha, Brown Berets, la Raza and others. The SPLC is pro Amnesty open borders group, what do you think they are going to say?

This is Morris Dees co-founder of SPLC
"The cover story of Harper?s magazine?s November 2000 issue exposed the SPLC?s alarmist fund-raising tactics with which it raises large sums that are not used to help those it purports to serve. The Southern Center for Human Rights? Stephen Bright charged that [Dees] is a fraud who has milked a lot of very wonderful, well-intentioned people. If it?s got headlines, Morris is there.?

Quoting from the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, CIV2114 (1979), the brochure says:

Of all the damning indictments against Morris Dees, the worst comes from his closest connection. He was sued by his ex-wife, Maureene Bass Dees, who alleged that he had committed incest with his stepdaughter and future daughter-in-law.?

GreasyTony

THIS IS 100% TRUE! When times get bad, people have to blame someone, and who better to blame but the immigrants that are afraid to speak up because they can get deported. They are OK when companies are moving over seas, and more and more of our food comes from other countries, but now that there are less jobs because of the slumping economy, they want to blame illegals for taking their jobs. I don't remember ever hearing Chad say that he's looking forward to applying for an onion picking job in the middle of the Arizona summer where temps can reach 115 degrees, and still work 10-14 hour days.

Hate groups are increasing because of this to!

http://www.splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=366
The number of hate groups operating in the United States continued to rise in 2008 and has grown by 54 percent since 2000 â€” an increase fueled last year by immigration fears, a failing economy and the successful campaign of Barack Obama, according to the "Year in Hate" issue of the SPLC's Intelligence Report released today.

Two new factors were introduced to the volatile hate movement in 2008: the faltering economy and the Obama campaign.

http://www.alternet.org/immigration/122863/immigrants_scapegoated_as_economy_teeters/
Immigrants Scapegoated as Economy Teeters

Scott K

historically, minorities and foreigners are discriminated against. illegal immigrants are worse off. people become protectionist when the poketbook tightens

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: