If illegal immigration is such a problem, then why aren't Texas, New Mexico or California....

[devilgrrl]

freaking out over it?

I talked to a friend in New Mexico last evening about this... this is someone that works along side with illegals and he sees this whole argument as nothing more than fanning the flames of hatred.

So tell me. If this is truly a BIG FUCKING DEAL, then why aren't the other states that border Mexico jumped on the Arizona band wagon?

[joeybee12]

1. It's racism...for some reason, Texas, for the most part, it ok with immigrants,

illegal or otherwise, as is New Mexico. California, though, can be jerks about it..can't recall the proposition Pete Wilson threw out there to save his sorry ass in 1994.

[blondeatlast]

7. Exactly. It never used to be a problem here in Arizona--until

the incredible population influx of the '90s (of middle class Anglos).

Their latent racism has found a home in our nutjob legislature and the anonymity of the voting booth.

[pocoloco]

2. Short answer.......

cheap labor.

[HopeHoops]

3. California went through the Arizona bullshit something like 20 years ago.

They got over the xenophobia. Texas makes too much money off of undocumented workers who get squat for compensation. New Mexico just seems to be rational about the whole thing.

Then we have Arizona...

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Don't know. Arizona ranks 7th. in the number of illegals in their state.

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/ois_ill_pe_2009.pdf

Updated to add link to source.

[seabeyond]

5. 7th? hm, i am surprised by that. i can easily see florida, texas and calif

beating az.... even kinda new mexico because NM is unique that they see themselves and laws that embrace mexican culture. saw piece on it recently on NM and unique perspective with mexico, i dont remember the specifics. so that would rank az four. i can see NY....

i could look it up, but what are the other two states beating az

[ejpoeta]

6. someone has to be to blame for all our problems and it can't be us

so we find someone to blame.... like illegals.... they take our jobs and siphon all our tax dollars for their free welfare blah blah blah. when in fact this is not the case at all... but don't ever try to tell people that. i have. my own family insists that illegals are living on welfare and medicaid and food stamps!! when the fact of the matter is, and i would know as i have filled out my share of applications for assistance.... you have to provide proof you are a resident and here legally to get any help. but don't tell them that. it's what the nazis did in germany, and i do not mention it to compare the two... germans were in a depression and smarting after losing ww1... hitler found them a common enemy... a rreason for all their ills.... the jews. what people fail to realize is that in this country any new folks were to blame for all the troubles. it was the irish at one time. probably the italians at another time. it's easy to find some group to blame for all your problems so you don't have to look at the possibility that maybe it's YOU. i mean, you have this group of people who have for god knows how long have been voting against their own best interests. they want to get rid of unions.... when if they had unions maybe their boss wouldn't just be able to give them a pay cut with no chance to fight it. or maybe they wouldn't get shafted with the insurance when the employer switches to a high deductible plan that doesn't cover shit. but instead of the problem being the choices they've made, or the fact that they bought a bigger house than they could afford or that fancy car they didn't really need.... they want to blame some undocumented worker for coming here and 'taking their job' when in fact that worker didn't take their damned job.

[pampango]

8. Blaming poor foreigners is a lot easier than taking on rich Americans

who have dismantled our social safety net, weakened labor unions and worker protections, given themselves big tax cuts and us a regressive tax system, and deregulated markets and the finance industry.

As you say it has always been easy to blame immigrants for our troubles, whether they were Irish, Italians or Mexicans. Our own elites are probably quite happy to see "us" keep our focus on "them" (other workers who are a little different) rather than on the elite themselves who are really responsible for the regressive nature of our system.

[havocmom]

10. EXACTLY

[ejpoeta]

12. as long as we are fighting each other they will continue to win. we end up with

reps who could care less about us because they can lead us around by hte nose. their biggest fear would be if we actually found our common interrests again and banded together against them.

[lumberjack_jeff]

9. Because the Chamber of Commerce thinks unregulated immigration is a great idea. n/t

[slackmaster]

11. Because anyone who "freaks out" about gets automatically called a racist

:nuke:

[WolverineDG]

13. Because it would be the death knell of the GOP if they tried it here

although there is a GOP state rep dumb enough to try it next session.

dg

[shanti]

14. some are :(

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/19/2761665/costa-mesa-declares-itself-rule.html\

Costa Mesa's response to immigration flap: 'Rule of Law'

The Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, May. 19, 2010 - 6:18 am
Last Modified: Wednesday, May. 19, 2010 - 7:30 am
COSTA MESA -- Costa Mesa has declared itself a "Rule of Law" city in a swipe at such illegal immigrant sanctuary cities as San Francisco.

The City Council voted 4-0 on Tuesday to approve the resolution designed to make it clear immigration laws will be enforced and people in the country illegally are not welcome.

It has been condemned by the Orange County branch of the Anti-Defamation League.

Mayor Allan Mansoor, who proposed the "Rule of Law" resolution, says more needs to be done to crack down on illegal immigrants. The mayor says he is concerned with cities calling themselves illegal immigrant sanctuary cities.

A federal agent is assigned to the Costa Mesa jail to check the immigration status of those arrested.

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