December 7, 2009

Exclusive: A Mexican Poll and its Troubling Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy
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 in the United States is not about to go away. Constant attempts to enact an amnesty (or “comprehensive immigration reformâ€