Saturday, September 26, 2009

The Spanish Word for Wetback is "Mojado"

I see that many news outlets have picked up a recent Pew Research Center finding that most Mexicans see a better life in El Norte:

Most believe life is better in the United States. Close to six-in-ten (57%) say that people who move from Mexico enjoy a better life in the U.S. ... A substantial minority of Mexicans say that if they had the means and opportunity to go live in the U.S. they would do so, and more than half of those who would migrate if they had the chance say they would do so without authorization.


Mexicans are famously willing to come north with or without a visa. That isn't news. I really wish Pew had asked Mexicans how willing they would be to allow poor Guatemalans to cross the Mexican border in search of a better life there. Not very willing, I'll bet, considering that Mexico deports more Guatemalans than the U.S. does Mexicans.

Evidently, tolerance for illegal immigration disappears when the zapato is on the other foot.

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