That is very interesting. I do try to incorporate a bit Freire’s ideology in my writing when I can, which I have noticed you are a fan of his works too.

I’ve tried to look beyond the blatant racism and propaganda that spews from anti-immigration proponents, be they self-professed Minutemen or just inbred fools like Proud Anglo. I thought, rightly or wrongly, that by looking beyond the racism and propaganda, that I could better understand and determine from where this racism and xenophobia is born and nurtured. I know that my comments probably make me seem like some fool who enjoys listening to an endless barrage of senseless gibberish, go figure.

My point is that in my conversations with Minutemen, Skin Heads and other anti-immigrant proponents, I’ve always concluded that they are more “bark than bite”. Although, these individuals tactics and rhetoric may command the attention of mainstream media most Americans don’t identify with this small group of individuals.

My concern is more towards the fact that we as Latinos, those of us who are Citizens and able to vote, have not been united towards fending off the potentially damaging and crippling legislations that are currently being proposed. My fear is that the current pieces of legislation will effectively marginalize millions of immigrants for years or perhaps decades.

If the current immigration bills are approved we will enter an unprecedented era in which perhaps millions of immigrants are marginalized by two weapons, which come in the form of “triggers” and “touchbacks”. Triggers refers to the fact that undocumented immigrants will face long waiting periods before they can move beyond “guest worker” status, legal resident and eventual US Citizen, the process can potentially be a decade or more. Touchbacks refers to the fact that undocumented immigrants will also be required to leave the country and apply for a Visa and renter the country, this provision is likely to be the cause of millions of “mixed-status” families suffering undue financial hardships and break ups of the family unit.

My fear is that while we focus our attention on the “screaming racist idiots” we allow a Republican minority out wit a Democrat majority the ability to pass legislation that will rival the Bracero Program. At best the passage of the current bills will further erode worker rights. It happened with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Unless Congress provides equal protection to all class of workers unscrupulous employers will continue to take advantage of workers, especially newly designated “guest workers”.

If you really look at it, our borders are closed. In order to come legally as an immigrant, you must be sponsored by an employer or by a close family member, such as a spouse, parent, adult son or daughter, or sibling. Yet, we still have a problem. In fact, the current law allows approximately 800,000 people to settle here each year as permanent residents, including 1) the 480,000 who are admitted to reunite with their spouses, children, parents and/or siblings; 2) the 140,000 who are admitted to fill jobs for which the U.S. Department of Labor has determined no American workers are available; 3) the 110,000 refugees who have proven their claims of political or religious persecution in their homelands; and 4) the 55,000 who are admitted under a “diversity” lottery, begun in 1990 (Bush I), that mainly benefits young European and African immigrants.

I do not think workplace enforcement there will inevitably be a labor black market and exploitation, in fact, it does the opposite. It allows employers to punish workers for speaking out for better wages and conditions. If you really think employers dislike these sanctions, then you have been fooled into believing they don’t. Many employers use it as a tool to control their workers, if they start making equity demands, all they have to do is call “la migra.” You can still have enforcement where workers without visas could still be subject to deportation, but enforcement shouldn’t take place in the workplace where they are humiliated. Even the AFL-CIO has called for the repeal of employer sanctions.

The whole concern about a rising U.S. population and immigration nothing more but a propaganda campaign by anti-immigration forces to impose a fear to misguide people and exploit society. It nothing more but a wedge issue to get environmentalist on their side. Today people give more importance to the political than to the bio-psychological and economic aspects of population growth.

On a side note, it never really struck me until now how funny it is that smell always seems to show up in hate speech. In a way it makes sense. Racists make a bit of a fetish out of the notion of “other”, and of course everyone smells funny but yourself (cause “I don’t smell like anything”)… and there we are, apparently.

Great call on “Operation Return to Sender” especially. In addition to dehumanizing immigrants, it feeds the crazies with the implication that there is a “Sender”.

Outstanding post!

“The expectant quest for “opportunity” has retreated to an angry claim to “entitlement.” America has become the Land of Entitlement. Now that we have fallen on hard economic times and looking to see the root cause of this problem. It is not surprising to find most Americans who selfishly believe that they have the right to maintain living in a lifestyle rich in material comforts, and to do so, many want to displace other families not just for their pursuit of happiness, but its guarantee to continue in their illusion.”

Definitely check out this report on guest worker programs in the U.S. It provides additional information on the bracero program that you speak of.