How many Americans expressing contempt for illegals actually know any?

Question

I ask because it's hard to be hateful towards groups of people you know an individual of.

Now mind you, I realize our current situation vis a vis illegal immigrants from Latin America can't go on forever; our infrastructure and economy can't support all the poor of that region.

Still, it's no solution for Americans to say, "This is our country, go starve in yours." Any American with kids knows that if the tables were turned, we, too, would come here, illegally, if necessary, if that's what our kids needed. If we start at that point of common humanity and humility, we're on track to a workable solution. Clearly, they can't all come. Clearly, it's our right to make the rules, and to expect courtesy from those who do emigrate.

But we also need to assist Latin societies in developing the infrastructure that could allow a middle class to form there. Over a generation, that could happen, and when it does, our problem will fade. But we have to want to do the work.

Thanks to everyone who answered.

I read all the answers and my immediate response is that I didn't see much I didn't instinctively agree with or at least understand.

I want to clarify a bit-- when I referred to "Americans expressing contempt" I did not mean to imply that those who want a strong enforcement policy are racist or are even wrong. I meant to refer to some people I'd read earlier today who are either expressing hate they truly feel or who believe they're being glib while writing about the subject. Rereading my question helps me see why some viewed this as a swipe at those who want enforcement and I apologize for that.

Also, several people used the phrase "sob story" in their responses. I don't deny that I wanted my question to speak to people's consciences and compassion, but I hope I'll be believed when I now write that MANIPULATING the reader's sense of guilt was not my purpose, and I extend apologies to anyone who read it like that.

A few observations--

Let's assume (as we should) that all the issues that annoy us (the language, the flags) and cost us (the social services, the lost opportunities) are real so we understand we're not arguing those points.

There's probably only one guaranteed way to permanently slow the flow of immigration, and that is the wall, monitored by the military.

I doubt seriously that the political will to build it will materialize. Desirable and effective as it may theoretically be, and as passionate as those who would support its construction are, without a fairly solid majority of Americans (55% or more) behind it, its construction could not survive the legislative process.

Without a wall, there is no rock solid enforcement, and as I wrote above, there will be no wall.

It's axiomatic that Latin nations produce many millions more people than their economies can support, further, there's no apparent cause for hope that this will soon change.

Clearly, as many writers observe, this is not as it SHOULD be. The Latin governments OUGHT to be willing, even eager, to educate their poor and to create middle class opportunities within their societies. Mexico, in fact, has ample resources with which to do so, yet with unemployment perpetually in double digits, it clearly hasn't. Expecting the same from Central American nations which lack the oil and human resources of Mexico is a similarly doomed hope.

Now let's go back to that Latin dad and mom with the four mouths to feed. Without doubt, that couple SHOULD have practiced family planning. But pointing our fingers with our American "shoulds" and "oughts" doesn't change the fact that that family's problem is quite clear and present-- no opportunity at home, and no wall keeping them in.

This isn't going to change via Latin governments. Yet, we Americans understand that if we go through another ten years of unbridled immigration, our country will collapse under the strain.

We can't MAKE those governments act, and even if we could, it's doubtful they'd know what to do; their expertise, built over centuries of Latin ruling class tradition, is enriching their upper 2% peers and insulating themselves from overthrow.

So it's up to us. I understand my fellow Americans' indignation over the idea that after absorbing that region's poverty for these last decades, often apparently without gratitude, we would now take it upon ourselves to build within those nations the infrastructure they should have built themselves. I understand the frustration of those who, aware of these issues, aren't sympathetic to "sob stories."

The good news is, those Americans don't need to do this for Latin America, they can participate in the effort for the most selfish and noble reasons of all-- to preserve sovereignty over the America our ancestors left to us.

It's counterintuitive in the extreme. So was the Marshall Plan. Now, as then, we have no alternative.

Answer 1

I know quite a few illegal immigrants and I have never had any problem with them. Actually, I know quite a few. I hear over and over again diatribes about how they are changing our culture and bringing crime/drugs into the US, but there are larger sources of crime out there.

And, our economy will adjust. Dumping money into mexico would be a huge benefit. If they had a stable governemnt that was productive, we wouldn't have so many people trying to get in. Really, that's the only solution. Everything else is a short term band-aid solution.

Answer 2

It's amazing how much scapegoating goes on. Blame the illegal immigrants, blame the Mexican government for not taking care of their people and essentially pushing them across the border.

I don't think the problem lies with the immigrants themselves, the whole issue of illegal immigration is a lot more complicated than we all suspect. But I think a lot of it has to do with the way the system is set up.

Let's start with the very basic premise: that there are very few people who actually WANT to be illegal immigrants. The reasons people are willing to migrate illegally are largely due to better prospects for themselves and their families, or due to persecution. It's clear that there is a pretty huge income disparity between Mexico and the United States.

Until that income disparity evens out, I think you can raise fences, post snipers, build walls, there will still be a number of immigrants that will try anything and everything to get through. And there will be a number of them who succeed. Those who succeed getting through will tell their friends and families how they did it, they'll figure out how to exploit the system to get even more people through, the US institutes different and stricter controls, et cetera. It gets more and more expensive each time you go round the cycle; and may not ultimately yield the results that you wanted in the first place.

No, I think the solution lies in reducing the incentive for people to migrate illegally in the first place. And this is the sort of endeavour that the United States will not be able to do alone - you are going to need the Mexican authorities to buy into this as well. And Mexico is a country with several issues - high levels of corruption, an ongoing civil war with the Zapatistas in the southern provinces. The trouble is, at the moment, I don't really see Mexico as having an incentive to do anything to help seeing that some of the money flows from illegal workers to the United States into Mexico do finally end up in the hands of the government.

Ultimately though, I think it's going to need some serious "diplomatic action" on the part of the United States to persuade the Mexicans that it would really be in their best interests to keep these people in - they probably represent a credible workforce for Mexico and it should result in a better economy for Mexico in the long run if they just stayed within their country and developed it.

Answer 3

I am a first generation american with parents from 2 different latin american countries both in turmoil. Both my parents and grandparents came here LEGALLY!! My parents had to learn to live here in America. Had to learn English and my father joined the Army. They busted their *** so that we could have a better life. Not like these illegals now who want everything handed to them as though the United States owes them something. We owe no one but our own country and our Legal residents.

I know plenty of illegal immigrants and I know many that have taken days to come across the border. That doesn't make it their right to be here.

The only way to stop the illegal immigration is to close our borders. Build the fence and put more border patrol. The illegals need to start obeying our rules of this country. IF we break the law we go to jail, If we break the law in another country we would probably be executed. Illegals need to start to speak English and we have to stop giving everyone a free ride.

If the gov'ts of the other countries do not want to help their own people and want to see the destruction of their countries so be it. Why do we have to always save the world? Who is going to save us in the long run? I want my country back where when I went into a store people spoke my language ENGLISH. Fly only one flag American. Have respect for this country and that is the way we will beat all of this. Demand that this country become ONE country again.

I am not ashamed of being hispanic but I am more proud being an AMERICAN. Do it legally and I wouldn't have a problem. Don't milk my country. Immigrants from long ago that established this nation did not expect this. I can go on and on but one voice will not change a thing.

Answer 4

Um, that's a really great sob story, except you forgot to mention that there ARE american families living at/below the poverty level, can't afford a whole string of stuff, including new clothes for their kids, and you want to add to the problem? Gee, thanks. I think a lot of people have some serious misconceptions about the general level of wealth and affluence in america, a lot of it is 'storefront', meaning appearance only. Once you get behind the stage props, that's when you find out about debt etc.

The United States is getting played, HARD, and it could yet happen that we end up knocking on someone else's door.
How many families are more than 2 missed mortgage payments from being out in the street? How many people are 1 paycheck from disaster? We're being PLAYED! I understand that Mexico's got problems, and I got that from an ACTUAL mexican(living in the united states illegally, but go ahead and be honest about where they're from, ok?) Life SUCKS in Mexico, that's why they're trying to escape it. Comma. If everyone and their DOG makes a 'run for the border', how long before we revisit the Depression years? Remember the 'american dream'? It's rapidly becoming the American Joke for many. Why don't you take a good hard look at the statistics? I'm sorry, but if it comes down to you or me, I'm eatin' the last grape for myself...sob stories won't cut it, what needs to happen is that Mexico needs to grab its' socks and yank em up HARD. If they fail to do that, they're going to be a net negative to america's positive, and you're going to keep seeing 'electron flow'. But, what happens when a battery finally wears out? Not much. There will be a similar result on this border issue, in my view...Mexico needs to solve its' own problems, and they can start by taking issue with the Catholic Church and their pro-growth propaganda. Mexican citizens need to sit down, together, as a group, and figure out how many kids their economy can support, and what their growth plans are for the future. Americans rightly take issue with being included in such 'plans'...

Answer 5

i have met and talked to many illegals one of the jobs i had as security guard many yrs ago a good 80 t 90% were and are illegal I have seen first hand the bad and the good these people bring here.I have been in southern california for 35yrs and in that time I have seen some cities become so full of illegals that mcdonald menus are in spanish only .some of these cities are Bell ,Bell Gardens, Hawaian Gardens, Montery park these are only some that are so overrun you hear more spanish and see the effct of ten and twelve people livin in a house built for 6. when i lived in Whittier the 2 houses next to mine had 4 and 5 people living in them at first then when they sold the house one had 9 living in in it and the other had 12 and the drive ways only had room for 2 cars and each had more than 4 so that meant they were parking them on the street. these are thing that impact the whole nieghborhood.it is not an acccident that the cities with the highest proportion of illegals have lower property values compared to the ones that dont and before you label me a bigot my wife of 21 yrs is mexican decsent and she does not like our immagration problem either. i agree that if americans were faced with that problem we would jump the border also or maybe enough would stay and force the govt to quit ignoring the needs of the people and it is their level of corruption that fuels this invasion and to call it anything less is denial it is an invasion not armed but still an invasion the only assistance the mex govt needs is to get rid of their top to bottom corruption and that wont happen as long as the usa is their pressure relief valve

Answer 6

That's a great point.....

I am a second generation Mexican American. My parents came here legally because they were fortunate enough to have resources to do so. If we would work together and had constructive solutions, we would fair much better with the illegal situation.

My parents didn't really experience racism back in the day when they were coming here. They embraced America and did very well considering they didn't know much English.

I went to school here and assimilated very well into the American culture. If we would treat illegals like humans and helped them to blend into the culture, instead of so much hostility towards them, they would do much better here and so would we....

I know that it is getting harder to maintain and support so many illegals, we must address the migration here, and then help the ones who are already here to assimilate into society so that they can leap into the middle class, as my parents did.

Answer 7

I know a few.I've worked with a lot of them.Most are good workers and people as a whole.They have the same problems we have.I've taught a couple of them in the construction field.Generally good people.the only problem I have is I've worked in my field for 30 years.I've earned the pay I receive.But people will hire 3 immigrants under the table for less wages in place of me.Or the young guys getting in this field are finding it hard to get or keep a job because of illegals. Thats taking money out of our pockets to feed and shelter our families.We've gone to school to learn a trade.Spend tons of money to become educated.Then we can't even afford to own one of the houses we built.I've worked on $500,000 - 2.5 million dollar homes,but I may never be able to own one.Why? Cheap labor. I have nothing against the people,just the system that allows them to come over here,uneducated,(most,not all) and take money out of the pockets of American people who would rather be working than collecting welfare , or selling drugs, or robbing people to raise their families.People do things for a reason.Not everybody breaks the law because they are bad people.Talk to and get to know some homeless people.See what their stories are.Talk to some people that went to jail because they stole to feed their families.Then ask American people why they don't like illegal immigrants.

Answer 8

You are right that every American with kids wants to protect our own kids. That is why I am against illegal immigration. I think it is sad that countries like Mexico do not provide universal education for their poor people. However, that does not make it our responsiblity to pay for it for them, particularly at the expense of our own children getting a decent and safe education, as is the case now in our border states.

We subsidize almost all of the cost of education and services for poor people even if they pay all taxes for their income. That is why we limit how many poor people can come. That is why we can't afford either the sort of illegal immigration we have now or the sort of immigration the Senate Bill would legalize.

Why are we responsible for countries like Mexico, which are not poor countries and have all of the natural resources we have?

I don't understand your logic with that particular country. So long as we 'take care of' their poverty through permitting emmigration or through funding, they don't need to take care of it themselves.

This isn't Dafur. They have resources. They just don't consider their poor people to be a priority, apparently.

Answer 9

I don't hate the people. Why should I hate someone I don't know? But I don't like the idea of everybody moving over here with all their 10 kids and cousins, etc and having developers put up more and more condo developements, taking away our open space and crowding out nature. Do you think any of us enjoy canoeing, camping, hiking... just being out in the quiet woods sitting back relaxing and watch a couple deer stroll by without them even noticing you? I do. And it's getting harder and harder to find place to do that with developers chopping down all of our woods and drying up our marshes. And no, I won't shut up and stop "whining" about it until there is either no more need to or I am physically unable to. I love the Earth and I will do whatever I can to protect her as she takes care of us.

Answer 10

If we can get away from individual cases, and talk principles ...and the general principle is that a country that makes a law, also in general enforces it ... or so runs the theory anyway ....

In the case of Latin America in general,and Mexico in particular ... Mexico is a rich country which consists of filthy rich people, no middleclass, and poor people ... Mexico can well afford to sort out their own problems, but they don't want to ... why don't they want to? Because they don't need to ... as long as we have bleeding hearts in the U.S. who swallow every sob story, the Mexican govt. are laughing all the way to the bank ... at MY expense!!