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HOME > PUBLICATIONS > Exclusive: A Mexican Poll and its Troubling Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy

December 7, 2009

Exclusive: A Mexican Poll and its Troubling Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy

Allan Wall

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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 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 percent oppose amnesty and only 19 percent are in favor of it. Among black Americans, the figure is even higher, with 88 percent 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.   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 percent 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 percent 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 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 percent 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 as being 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 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 percent 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 creates a conflict of interest, as Mexico is 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. 
 
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Allan Wall is an American who formerly resided in Mexico. Allan's website is located at http://www.allanwall.net/.
 
 
 

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  Comments (11)

I agree the immigration issue is not going away. Past immigrants were required to take citizenship tests in engish writing it and speaking it. Today's immigrants should do the same. Immigrants with a green card apparently do not pay taxes in the U.S.

posted by: curtis kruse
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10:41 AM

You are right Mr.Wall. If this country,{the USA,} doesn't confront this fact we are sunk.
p.s.They do not consider there was a Mexican/American war and a treaty was signed.

posted by: Barbara Mark
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 12:21 AM

We need comprehensive reform. In partucular, the spines of our leaders need reform, because they have become bent and stooped in the service of just about everyone but the American people.

posted by: eric glasgow
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 12:22 AM

Mexicans suck.

posted by: James
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 12:31 AM

Yes james mexicans suck but our people in congress suck more for leting this happen and we are to stupid to vote them out

posted by: statb
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 01:28 PM

The other day I read a news report from Mexico stating the Mexican government will be spending more than 50 million dollars to make sure Mexicans living in the U.S. are fairly treated and given all their "rights." They were referring to illegal alien Mexicans only. Why don't they spend that money on the poor in their country? Clearly their agenda lays elsewhere.

posted by: Debbie
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 01:44 PM

At a time of high unemployment (expected to be 11% in 2010), does it make sense to accept 150,000 (legal & illegal) people per month?

On Mexico....Mexico entire nation and economy is geared to sending their peasants to the USA. Mexico leads all nations in number of immigrants (legal & illegal) it sends to the USA. When is enough?



posted by: rssg
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 03:20 PM

I think it will be worked out sooner than many in this country think. Our economy is failing, partly due to the illegal immigrant influence on wages and lay offs. People in the United States know that leaving our border open is a problem and they know they cannot trust the traitors in Washington to address the problem.
So in view of this I fully expect that the people will start to tackle this problem themselves. There is so little respect for our so called leaders now that they are largely ignored. And this will lead to the people securing the borders and making the illegal immigrants long for home. This is not the best way to handle this situation but it will become the default method if we are unable to get some cooperation I for one do not want to be here and see it come to pss.

posted by: Mfskinner
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 04:02 PM

Allan Wall is a true expert on Mexico. He is telling it like it is, but you duplicitous backstabbing liberal Democrats will NOT UNDERSTAND AND DON'T CARE TO UNDERSTAND. This nation is being turned inside out by you fools and you are allowing those corrupt and filthy elites carry out their filthy plans for their one world animal farm, where we get merged with one of the most corrupt nations on earth Mexico. What do you imagine will happen here then?? Don't you stupid to the core leftists understand that we will have corrupt Mexican politicians then legally be allowed to lord it over Americans and spread their corruption here. Don't we have enough corruption to deal with with our own polticians. When this nation goes down, you leftist Democrats and RINO Republicans will be allowed to shake hands, BECAUSE YOU BOTH CAUSED IT. FOOLS!!

posted by: Bobby
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 04:08 AM

78% OF ALL AMERICANS oppose amnesty, only 19% favor it. AMONG BLACKS 88% OPPOSE AMNESTY http://bit.ly/4LLQRk http://bit.ly/7gyS2q #TEAPARTY

posted by: SeniorBuzz
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 03:13 PM

u know what am mexican i waz born here so yall racist people need to shut up this country waz made out of immrgration. An beside white were the first to start imgrations because the native american were here first. An then they came from england to get a better life an that lations want to come to get a better life u dont wanna them.

posted by: juan
Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 11:06 AM