Why do Mexican immigrants' opinions differ when it comes to immigration issues than other immigrant groups?

Question

Look at this:

*Mexican immigrants are more likely to say the U.S. is too closed -– 22 percent vs. 11 percent of other immigrants, although 41 percent say the country strikes the right balance.
* Mexican immigrants say they are drawn to the U.S. by the opportunity to work and make a living (48 percent compared to 34 percent of other immigrants) rather than personal or political freedoms.
* Fifty-four percent of Mexican immigrants vs. 68 percent of other immigrants surveyed, say the U.S. should expect all immigrants who don’t speak English to learn it.
* Fifty-one percent of Mexican immigrants think all public school classes should be taught in English (rather than allowing some classes to be taught in a student’s native language). Among other immigrants, the majority is stronger (67 percent).

Is there an entitlement issue here?

These stats are from www.hispanicbusiness.com

texasgirl, I am not Mexican, I am Black. I just like to ask questions that make people think. Read my profile, I don't only ask questions about Mexicans; however, I do ask alot about Hispanics in general. The reason that I ask is because I'm trying to get to the roots of why almost (and notice that I said almost) an entire group of peoples empathize with a illegality at the hands of illegal immigrants.

Answer 1

This last 20 yrs. of Mexican "immigration" isn't at all like the ones before them. Personally that's all I see is this air of entitlement. And this attitude of hate and demands.

Once again in the paper today....Mexican students who are here illegally are wanting "special" money for college because their parents can't afford to send them. First it was in-state tuition and they got it. Now it's for free. Guess what? There's a whole lot of citizens and children of LEGAL immigrants who's parents can't afford to send them to college either. It's not a demand for grants for all immigrants, or all illegal immigrants......just Mexican. I've said it from the beginning and I feel stronger about it with each passing day. They don't give 2 hoots about immigration reform or special rights for any other group of people but them. All may not feel that way but the ones with the biggest mouths do and frankly I'm sick of hearing from them. They want "special" everything ,just for them......college isn't a guarentee......do what I did and my daughter has to do.......get a job and work your way through. It's harder and it takes longer but hey.....that's life. Besides.....isn't there this big push that says the reason we NEED them here is so they do jobs Americans supposidly won't do? It's far more demanding for freebies and hand-outs and the list never ends. "we just want to work"....ya right..... They seem to want it all without paying any price. People came here legally and worked generations to get where they are and these guys come here illegally and want it all handed to them immediatly.

Answer 2

Well, there are a number canadians protesting it as well, but they arent carrying around mexican flags and focusing on the mexican aspect. They're, obviously, mor concerned with canada. It's the same with people of every nationality. The immigration law affects mexican immigrants in the way that it affects everyone else, thier home country. The only reason you believe that the focus is entirley on mexico is that mexicans make up the vast majority of immigrants to the united states, thus they get the most attention in the media, etc.

Answer 3

Part of it depends on what you mean by immigrant. There are legal and illegal immigrants. The proportion of illegal to illegal probably varies from one country of origin to another - and legals probably have different opinions on some of those issues than illegals.


It may also be because of geography. Mexico and the USA are neighbors, the border isn't well-gaurded, so simply crossing the border is more an option form Mexicans than for Asians or whatever else. Once you've crossed, there are some receptive places to settle and work in CA and other SW states. Thus, Mexicans, more than many other ethnic groups, can form communities, even networks of communities in the US - thereby retaining a stronger link to thier culture, and a greater sense of identity.

Other immigrants may have fewer of thier countrymen in the US, or in any given area of the US. They may be more evenly distributed throughout the nation, and so need to interface more with mainstream American society. Thus they learn the value of inegration over de facto colonization.


It could also be a matter of politics. There are political movements within Mexico and in the Mexican expatirate communities of the US, that believe that parts of the US are actually the rightful property of Mexico, or of native-descended Mexcan people, for instance.

Answer 4

Mexican immigration laws are pretty strict. For example, here's some of the Mexican immigration laws listed in summary:

There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools, no special
ballots for elections; all government business will be conducted in our
language.

Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote no matter how long they are
here.

Foreigners will NEVER be able to hold political office.

Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food
stamps, no health care, or other government assistance programs.

Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount equal
to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.

If foreigners do come and want to buy land that will be okay, BUT
options will be restricted. You are not allowed waterfront property. That
is reserved for citizens naturally born into this country.

Foreigners may not protest; no demonstrations, no waving a foreign
flag, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our president or his
policies, if you do you will be sent home.

If you do come to this country illegally, you will be hunted down and
sent straight to jail.

Answer 5

Because of Mexico's government. Mexico buys radio ads telling Mexicans to complain about the U.S. government.

Click here for a laugh. http://americancomedynetwork.com/animation.html?bit_id=24620

"The Mexican government, angered by a U.S. proposal to extend a wall along the border to keep out migrants, has struck back with radio ads urging Mexican workers to denounce rights violations in the United States. "
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/20/D8EK9N0G6.html

The fact is Mexicans are better off than people in several Eastern European countries. Mexicans are documented to have higher personal incomes than people in some European countries.

There are more opportunities in Venezuela, but Mexicans don't move there. This is an invasion. Pure and simple.

Mexicans know the "sqeeky wheel gets the grease" in America (the U.S. government listens to complainers.)

Answer 6

Question: where did these stats come from?

Regardless, the answer is simple. The conditions under which Mexicans come to America, and the conditions under which they exist in our country is different than those immigrants from other countries. Different circumstances result in different points of view. There is no entitlement issue.

Take your first fact. Immigrants from other countries do not face the extreme reaction against their arrival. That is why more of them do not feel like the U.S. is too closed. They are being allowed in without much of a fuss! Mexicans, on the other hand, even when they try to do so legally, have extra barriers and suspicious put in front of them. This results in a different perception.

Take your second fact. Mexico does not provide good opportunities to work, whereas it provides a more limited amount of social oppression than some other countries. So naturally more Mexicans would come here looking for work than someone from, say, Germans. Likewise, less Mexicans would come for personal freedoms than, say, Iranians. So what is wrong with that?

Take your third fact. Like it or not, even without illegal immigration, there is a sizeable population of Americans who speak Spanish. So Mexicans do not find it all that difficult to find communities and people with which they can communicate in their own native language. Other countries do not have this ease. Although there are a few, someone from Hungary is going to struggle to find a community of people to speak their language without severely limiting their options. It is more necessary for them to learn English, and that effects their point of view. And you seem to forget something else here: a majority of Mexican immigrants still think everyone should learn English. The same thing holds true for your fourth fact.

No entitlement. Just a simple issue of fact and circumstances. In other words, it is just common sense.

Answer 7

They have an overwhelming sense of entitlement and have had for years. I am so sick of being told how America needs to take more immigrants when we take in approx. 2 million LEGAL immigrants per year. I really think that the legal immigrants should sue the federal government for a refund.

Answer 8

I see you are a lot interested in Mexicans all the time, are you Mexican trying to get knowledge on how people feel about Mexicans or something?

I'm black to and live here in El Paso, I was just wondering.
I'm sick of this situation as well. my 2 younger kids had to be home school this year because of overcrowding in the sisd school district because of to many illegals going to the schools, and I also pay crazy property taxes for these illegals. that's why we have decided to move. being on a poor border town like this is not worth the time or money.
people will not believe how much it takes to pay for illegals until they live in a city like this. i have been here for 15 years so believe me, I'm tired of this situations as well.


by the way, i understand all your questions you ask and why your asking, because i ask them my self. and what I don't understand is why people won't stand up more and fight


Mayra, he's not racist, because he see this first hand, and it's the people like you and Angela R is the reason illegals are running crazy in the US

Answer 9

the answer is simple

there is a larger amount of latino immigrants than any other so when you ask more people of the same community something then the statistics will be different

Answer 10

Entitlement? Yeah. There is. You are entitled to respect this country like other ethnic LEGAL immigrants, or you're entitled to go home. Don't let the revolving door on the border hit you on the @ss on the way out.