Anti-Mexican Xenophobia, An American Tradition
“We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.” — George Bernard Shaw.
“The illegal aliens hold millions of jobs, and draw on social services ranging
from schools to welfare, drain funds from the nation’s troubled
economy by sending away large amounts of money, and mock our system
of legal immigration.”
It was October 31, 1974, when Attorney General William Saxbe uttered these words. “The massive number of illegal aliens constitutes a severe national crisis—one that affects the lives of all Americans.”
The A.G. then rang the alarm bell. “Illegal immigrants do not constitute a trickle or a stream. They form a torrent that could inundate us unless effective action is taken soon,” he warned us. I say us because I was twenty-four at the time and living in my hometown of Los Angeles.
Yet, miraculously, 50 years later, Americans were not submerged by this human tsunami. That could be because it never occurred.
But Saxbe saw other alarming developments.
Migrants “pose a direct threat to those in the lowest economic groups—often poor blacks, often the poor of Mexican descent, the poor generally.”
These invaders “hold millions of jobs” that could otherwise go to U.S. citizens. And receive social services ranging from schools to welfare.
The millions of jobs presumably would have been in agricultural fields, picking grapes and such.
As for the proposed solution, Saxbe requested $50 million and 2,200 new employees for the Immigration Service, claiming this investment could “open up one million new jobs during the next year—simply by removing illegal aliens holding those jobs”
So, it turns out that Pam Bondi and Trump are largely recycling vintage anti-migrant blather.
Trump has given a bit more bite. Here is a sample.
“Illegal immigration hurts American workers; burdens American taxpayers; undermines public safety; and places enormous strain on local schools, hospitals, and communities in general, taking precious resources away from the poorest Americans who need them most.”
“Mass, uncontrolled immigration is especially unfair to the many wonderful, law-abiding immigrants already living here who followed the rules and waited their turn.”
Americans should be very afraid, Trump said.
“At this very moment, large, well-organized caravans of migrants are marching towards our southern border. Some people call it an ‘invasion.’ It’s like an invasion… These are tough people, in many cases. A lot of young men, strong men… They’ve overrun the Mexican police, and they’ve overrun and hurt badly Mexican soldiers. So, this isn’t an innocent group of people.”
Ricardo Chavira Chicano 