Racism and violence against the immigrant

Arguments are the same as always: they make the population believe that immigrants receive more than they pay and thus involve a social cost.

Mexican and Central American immigrants are rebuilding New Orleans and other areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Far from receiving gratitude they are exploited by employers who hire undocumented immigrants and pay them lower wages. And immigrants are rejected and humiliated by the population who accuse them of high unemployment and the precarious situation in which they live.

The Urban Institute in a 1994 study estimated that immigrants contribute 25,000 to 30,000 million dollars per year to the US economy.

Leo Estrada and Marcelo Cruz conducted research for UCLA and the University of California, Berkeley (Immigration Issues and Policy in California). They established that during periods of recession resentment towards immigrants surfaces and the following myths are spread:

1. Immigration generates population excess.






2. It takes jobs away from native citizens.






3. It reduces wages.






4. Immigrants take advantage of considerable government subsidies.






5. They don’t integrate into American society as soon as they should.

According to the research, all of these are false. Immigrants contribute with incomes, they create jobs, consume, invest, they pay direct and indirect taxes and they work in undesirable jobs that most American citizens would not want to do. In addition to the value they bring to the society.

All this without even taking into account the cultural and population richness, therefore increasing the birth rate. Furthermore, only 4% of immigrants make requests for state aid since they prefer to pass unperceived for fear of being deported, they don’t know the resources nor do they control the language.

The Catholic Church continues to be a permanent voice in defence of the impoverished and weak. The archbishop of Denver, Monsignor Charles Chaput, urged US citizens in May 2005 to respect undocumented Latin people. «The great majority of undocumented Hispanic immigrants in the US have never committed a serious crime, and they don’t intend to undermine the good of community, but to contribute to the country’s prosperity. To take advantage of their work and after to accuse them of being here is a despicable way of hypocrisy».

The archbishop reminded Catholics that the Church recognizes people’s right to emigrate from their countries to look for a better life. «We don’t have the right to mistreat anyone, papers or no papers. People have dignity as human beings and their rights from God who created all of us, even though not everyone finds it satisfactory.» he concluded.