Why do so many people assume that people against illegal immigration are also racist against Mexicans?
445272
I'm so sick of people assuming that, because I am anti-ILLEGAL immigration, that I'm racist and anti-Mexican. First of all, I'm not racist against anyone and second of all, like many people in my position, I'm against ILLEGAL immigrants from ANY country, not just Mexico. Anyone who comes to this country (no matter their country of origin) without following the legal channels is breaking the law...it's that simple. It's easy for those illegal immigrants to claim racism because it diffuses the attention away from the real problem...which is the fact that they're breaking the law everyday that they stay in our country without obtaining proper LEGAL documentation. \n\nSince when is it a bad thing to expect the citizens of this country to be law-abiding?
812327
No.  It's about exactly that, illegal immigration.  Why do so many people think "illegal immigrant" is a race?
309241
racist want white supremacy, the people you and I encounter with want illegals out because they think they are avoiding the law, which might be true, but still they don't know of any hardships these people go through when risking their lives to cross the border. I am not making excuses for them but realistically how are they going to point out all illegals? Hard workers who are illegals come here to do what their little prissy hands won't, and they say illegals are taking their jobs. i highly doubt they and their ancesstors sprung from US soil, literally.
1130303
Lets see now. We should protect our country by having a border. We should not let ILLEGAL immagrants crossing the border no matter what race it is. We should speak english because that is our MAINE language in THIS country. But lets say Im from another country and i said all those things. Im not a racist, I am just a guy who loves his country. But since I am an American who loves his country, I am a racist. I am just sick to my stomach seeing these people calling me a racist. Dont even think about calling me a racist and all Im tryin to do is protect my country. You want to know what racist is? Racist is when you go into another country and force them to learn your language so they can help you out like lets say SPANISH! Racist and when you walk around protesting holding up a MEXICAN flag thinking this country is MEXICO. that my friend is racist.
799223
Contrary to what amnesty supporters would like people to believe, they are NOT racist organizations. They are looking out for the people that are citizens and those that have come here legally.\n\nPeople that are against amnesty want our immigration laws enforced regardless as to what nationality illegal aliens are.\n\nit has nothing to do with race.
476376
I do not hate any race.  I do not like a few people of different races but not the whole in tire race.  I'm not sure where you're getting your information from but it doesn't sound like it is completely accurate.  There are some people that hate everyone because they are ignorant but that is only the few.  Most people are caring and understanding of all races, creed etc.  I am not Mexican but my ex husband is Hispanic and so are my children.  I love them dearly.  I still have a good relationship with my ex husbands family.  I still consider them as my family.  Maybe you should look into this matter more.  I'm sure that you will find that the majority of people do not dislike the Mexican race.
756956
Yes.  Many people wrongfully equate illegal immigration with people of Mexican ancestry.  This is very unfair because we don't assume the same of people who are from other countries.  There are more Mexican immigrants here illegally than any other nationality, but that's only due to our proximity to Mexico, and they are by no means the only people who are here "without papers".
1171461
neither side is racist.  both sides use that epitaph to cloud the issue.  neither side is completely right and if they can cloud the issue they can keep people from seeing the weaknesses in their plan.  \nthis immigration thing is about security, both along the border and criminal problems inside the country and being able to support such a number of people with our social systems - its not about race at all.\nits not that the USA doesn't accept immigrants, its that we can only accept so many a year and that we need to be able to document them.  So, while we strive to make legal immigration better/streamlined, and to strengthen our borders against more illegals, we still have the problem with the illegals that are already here.  shipping them back over the border is not only a crass suggestion, but in infeasible one.  Do we separate families if we only catch the dad?  or de we capture kids at school or in the playground and send them back leaving mothers wondering where their children are?  do we start storming houses, demanding people to show proof that they are legal, and if they can't (of which there could be many valid reasons they can't prove it) we ship them out without really knowing?  Remember that these  people came here chasing the same dream that ALL of our forefathers did.  Should we treat them so inhumanely?  is throwing every single immigrant back to mexico really going to solve our social problems? \nthe way to do it is really to first, secure the borders, so that when we do start doing things, it makes a difference.  no more unknown crossings, in either direction.  Second, we need to cut down on legal immigration for say 5 years or so.  Then we need to have some sort of incentive for the illegal immigrants who are already here to proclaim themselves.  Once they have they should have to be forced to become citizens within a reasonable amount of time, or be deported.   I've heard things like being able to benefit from social programs like welfare or foodstamps, or getting tax breaks; i don't know what the incentive should be, but these are some ideas that have been floated.  Now this looks like a reward for getting here illegally, and maybe it is, but their reward is not nearly as great as the government's.  That being mainly that we now know the demographics of an area, when these people work they will pay taxes, they will be identifiable and traceable through driver's licenses, and thus less able to avoid capture or penalty when they do commit crimes.  the gov't will be able to handle any emergency situation better if they know how many people are really in an area.  they will know what resources and how many will be necessary should an area need support in some way.    there are so many possible benefits for the gov't to know that these people are here, that it would take up much too much space to list try to list them all here.\nSuffice it to say, that this is an important issue that is not the least bit about race, except to the ignorant populace who can't or won't use their brains and see beyond the facade the political parties have constructed in their attacks upon one another.
449350
I don't necessarily think that everyone has a problem with Mexicans, but I do think most people assume every Mexican they meet is an illegal immigrant.  I'm a Spanish major at college, and one of my professors immigrated (legally) from Mexico.  She said a big part of it is the issue that the immigrants CAN'T become citizens legally.  That takes money, and Mexicans don't cross the border for the fun of it; they come to the U.S. when they're children are starving and they have no other choice.  If there was a way for them to come here legally, I'm sure they'd rather do that, then risk their life in the desert, and constantly hide from immigration.  I wish people were better informed on the issue.
640805
Mostly due to pro-illegal immigration people needing to make their view sound good.  They spin everything around to confuse the issue and try to get the debate focused on an area that gives them a better chance to win.  It is not racist to say that people immigrating from oter countries so do so legally and to demand that those who enter illegally are properly punished for doing so and held accountable.  It is just one of many tactcis they use to try and confuse and circumvent the real issue here.
834448
Yeah!  Most Americans do tolerate Mexicans.  It's the "illegal" ones we have a problem with.  If you see someone robbing a convenience store, would you call the police?  If you see someone kidnapping a child from a school yard, would you call the police?  So, why then, do millions of Americans stand by everyday and watch "illegal" aliens break the law?  The worst offenders are the people that hire them.  The people that rent houses to them.  And the people that harbor them.  Not only are you not reporting illegal activities, but by aiding and abetting, you are also committing a crime.  What part of the word "illegal" don't you people understand?  Oh, and we're not racists.  We always refer to illegal aliens as "illegal aliens".  Not Mexican, Korean, Guatemalan, etc.  It's the pro-illegals that keep bringing up "Mexicans".  So, who's the racist?
334333
They are all very interelated, but not necessarily causal of each other.\n\n\nSay a female Mexican immigrates elligally into the US.  She will start off unemployed, and not be able to secure a high-paying job.  She will thus live in poverty, or the lower class.\n\nSince I know all of this to be almost a guarantee, I may be viewed as racist.\n\nIt is not, however, entirely causal.\n\nHer Mexican ethnicity does not cause her realtionships with all of these categories.  Rather, her lack of legal citizenship, english skills, etc., are the cause.\n\nNow say I drive down the street, and I see her.  By recognizing her ethnicity and what she's wearing, I may be able to make fairly accurate judgements about all of these things.  In this case, her Mexican ethnicity is causal, and I am racist.\n\nThe underlying problem with racism, stereotypes is that they are, or were at one time, often quite accurate.  Rather than recognizing the reasons for these accurate correlations, people assume they are causal relationships.  In otherwords, they're poor because they're Mexican.  By doing this, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy for those people.
491989
You answered this question yourself due to the manner in which you formulated it.\n\nThe answer is because they're racist. \n\nYou have implied that the racist person is white because they are complaining about illegal immigrants that are unwhite.  Therefore, the (racist) white would have no reason to complain against someone illegal that is their same race.\n\nIs this what you were looking for, or did I miss something?\n\nBy the way, not every person who is concerned about illegal immigration in America is white, and neither are they all racist.  It is a security issue as well as an economic one.  I don't think it should be a racist issue, and unfortunately some people seem to have brought it there.  Our country should have a means in place to accept immigrants who desire a better life and who want to work for themselves and their family.  Somehow the system is broken and now the people who benefit the most are corporations who exploit the immigrants for cheap labor and lack of oversight for the positive working conditions and benefits due to every worker in America.\n\nFreedom and justice for the world, not just for Americans!
763854
What makes you think someone is automatically racist because they are anti-illegal immigration?  Illegal immigration doesn't consist of one race or ethnicity or religion, it consists of all people living in a country illegally and undocumented.  What makes you think that person doesn't just care for this country?  If that's true, then you can call me racist as well.  What about all the legal immigrants and hispanic citizens of this country who are anti-illegal immigrant?  Are they considered racist as well?  From the statistics I've read, 56% of legal hispanic citizens are pro-illegal.  So I guess the other 44% are racist, right?Seriously, people need to do research on what the definition of illegal alien means.
713907
There may be some, perhaps many, who are anti-Mexican immigration because of racism. If you look, however, at the history of the US there is always a back-lash whenever there is large scale immigration by one particular group. There was a time when it was anti-Irish. There were signs that actually said "now hiring...no Irish". It seems to be the way many people respond whenever they are faced with an increasing population that is different than there own. Yes, we Irish were accused of breeding out of control, taking jobs away from "real Americans" and all the rest. I'm sorry the debate has taken on such racist overtones. I support Mexican immigration, legally, but I do understand why many feel they have to cross illegally. I'm also sorry there are so many racists out here.
1118297
I've noticed that here, too.  You don't have to mention anything about any particular race of human beings; just say you are against all illegal immigration in the USA, and you are jumped on and called a racist.  I do know that it is because they cannot reasonably and logically justify the presence of illegal immigrants and so they resort to name calling because of their lack of anything to back up their stance.  Usually, too, I have found that most of those who back illegal immigrants are either in a romantic relationship with an illegal, have close friends who are illegals, have family members who are illegal, sometimes are illegal themselves, or own a business in which they prosper by hiring illegals and benefiting from their slave labour by paying cheap wages without having to pay the employers share of taxes, etc. (thereby cheating legal immigrants and American citizens), or like to also pay cheap by hiring illegals to do their housework, yardwork, childcare, etc. (again, benefiting personally from illegals).
505275
Same reason Mexicans think all white people are racist. it is called ignorance.