Monday, December 7, 2009

Mexican Polls and U.S. Immigration Policy Implications

By Allan Wall

The topic of immigration is a controversial one in the United States, but not in Mexico.  In Mexico pretty nearly everybody agrees that the borders should be open for Mexicans to enter the U.S. at will.  Not only that, but even if Mexicans go to the U.S. and become American citizens they, and even their descendants, are still considered Mexicans.  This raises a number of complications for U.S. citizenship and national identity.

I resided in Mexico for a decade and a half and found it to be an eye-opening experience.  Americans tend to have a romantic view of immigration based upon the Ellis Island days of a century past.   Mexicans however, view emigration to the United States very differently.  They don’t generally consider that they are ceasing to be Mexicans when they become American citizens.

Since illegal immigration in recent years has become so massive, the question of what the U.S. should do with the millions of illegal aliens [aka "undocumented workers"] in the United States is not about to go away.  Constant attempts to enact an amnesty (or “comprehensive immigration reform” or “regularization” or whatever one chooses to call it) are not about to go away.

Amnesty, however, is not popular among the American citizenry.  According to a Pulse Opinion Research poll of likely voters, taken in September of 2009, 78% oppose amnesty and only 19% are in favor of it.  Among black Americans, the figure is even higher, with 88% in opposition.

Given the current economic situation, with nearly 16 million Americans unemployed, an amnesty is not likely to go over well. 

On the other hand, an amnesty would be very popular in Mexico, where U.S. immigration policy is followed closely.  I once had a sixth-grade student in Mexico confidently assure me there was going to be an amnesty.

This is an example of the wide chasm between how immigration is viewed in the two countries.

A recent Zogby poll conducted in Mexico illustrates some of the complications and contradictions in the immigration issue. This poll was conducted in August and September of 2009.

Unsurprisingly, two-thirds of those polled reported knowing a Mexican who lives in the U.S., while a third of those polled reported an immediate family member residing north of the border.

The Mexicans who were polled were asked about the prospect of an amnesty in the United States, and 56% thought that such an amnesty would increase Mexican illegal immigration to the United States.  And for Mexicans with family members in the U.S., 65% thought it would increase it. 

I believe they are right, an amnesty would increase illegal emigration from Mexico to the U.S.  After all, the 1986 amnesty signed into law by Ronald Reagan was followed by an increase.

Another related issue which deserves more attention is how Mexican-Americans are viewed in Mexico.   In the poll, 69% believed that Mexican-Americans (whether born in Mexico or the U.S.) owe their primary loyalty to Mexico.

I noticed something similar while residing in Mexico.  Mexican-Americans were considered essentially Mexicans, even those who were born in the United States.  In recent years the Mexican government, after years of ignoring Mexican-Americans, has begun to work together with them in order to expand Mexican influence in the U.S.

The traditional American immigration paradigm was that immigrants would come to the U.S. and renounce their former loyalty. In fact, that’s exactly what is promised in the naturalization oath.  Yet it’s significant that Mexicans don’t necessarily see it this way, especially in today’s atmosphere. 

Furthermore, in the Zogby poll 69% of those polled thought that the government of Mexico ought to represent the interests of Mexican-Americans (once again, both Mexican and U.S.-born) in the United States.  This would create a conflict of interest, as Mexico would be claiming sovereignty over Americans of Mexican ancestry.

The poll to me seems accurate, and fits in with the impressions I picked up while residing in Mexico for a decade and a half. 

Given the magnitude of Mexican immigration to the U.S., the boldness of Mexican government involvement north of the border, and the conflicting loyalties of many new American citizens, these are important issues.  They ought not be considered taboo topics, as they are in the mainstream media.  Instead, they should be freely discussed by U.S. citizens and our lawmakers.

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Allan Wall, an educator, resided in Mexico for many years.  His website is located at www.allanwall.net.