U.S. hostility to amnesty for illegal immigrants from Mexico is not only hurting illegals here, but crippling poor Mexicans in Mexico as well. So says the New York Times, taking its talking points from a survey performed by a pollster.
To be precise, a Democratic pollster who studies Hispanic voting trends for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign -- a tidbit that didn't get into reporter Julia Preston's sympathetic story on Mexican immigrants no longer sending cash home because of a hostile climate in the U.S.
Julia Preston's "Fewer Mexican Immigrants Are Sending Money Back Home, Bank Says" was based on a survey done by an unlabeled advocate for Latinos in the Democratic Party.
"This year a smaller percentage of Mexican immigrants in the United States sent money back to their homeland than in 2006, according to a report released yesterday by the Inter-American Development Bank. The bank said the reduction had left at least two million people in Mexico without the same financial help they had once received.
"Bank officials, pointing to a survey of Mexican immigrants in the report, said the decline reflected a rising sense of insecurity and uncertainty about whether they would stay in the United States. Anticipating a possible move back to Mexico, these immigrants appear to be saving more."
"'They have decided because of the uncertainty of the future that they need to step back and save a bit,' said Donald F. Terry, general manager of the Multilateral Investment Fund at the bank.
"Mr. Terry said the slowdown would affect about 500,000 Mexican homes. 'For those families in Mexico, there is going to be economic and social dislocation,' he said.
"Over all, the percentage of Mexicans who regularly sent money home fell to 64 percent in the first half of this year, compared with 71 percent for all of last year, according to the report. The sharpest decline in such transactions -- known as remittances -- came among Mexicans living in states where they have settled in large numbers only recently, like Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. In those states, the percentage of Mexicans sending money home fell to 56 percent from January to June, from 80 percent in 2006.
"In the survey, only 49 percent of the Mexicans living in states with relatively recent immigration said they expected to be living in the United States five years from now. Sergio Bendixen, a Miami pollster who conducted the survey, said the percentage of Mexicans considering a return to their country was the highest in the more than two decades he has interviewed Hispanic immigrants.
"The immigrants in the survey included American citizens and legal and illegal residents. They identified discrimination as the biggest problem they faced, with 83 percent saying that discrimination against Latin American immigrants in general was growing in the United States.
"'Mexican immigrants don’t feel welcome in the U.S. anymore,' Mr. Bendixen said. 'They feel they are not wanted here, and their contributions are not appreciated.'"
But Preston doesn't identify Bendixen as a Democratic activist and member of the board of advisors of the New Democratic Network, or mention that he is part of Hillary Clinton's presidential polling team. Preston quoted no opponents of illegal immigration.
Preston concluded:
"Remittances to Mexico have become vital to the economics of the country's poorest regions, bank officials said. The money pays for drinking-water systems, roads, care for older people and other needs in villages and working-class neighborhoods."
Times Watch will once again ask the obvious question, since the Times won't: Isn't the plight of poor Mexicans properly the responsibility of Mexico?
In case its somehow unclear where the Times' sympathies lie, Thursday's lead editorial informed us exactly what the paper thinks good people should think about illegals. The headline? "The Misery Strategy."
Contributing writer Alex Kotlowitz used the misery meme in his slanted cover story for the Sunday magazine, and in August 2006, reporter Randal Archibold asserted that the Arizona GOP was passing legislation "intended to make life harder for illegal residents."
Thursday's editorial concluded by implying that those who favor immigration reform regard Hispanics as vermin.
"The American people cherish lawfulness but resist cruelty, and have supported reform that includes a reasonable path to earned citizenship. Their leaders have given them immigration reform as pest control."
For a fuller version of this article, visit TimesWatch.
—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.



















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Illegals finally found out America doesn't want them
August 10, 2007 - 15:24 ET by Lame CherryThis astonished me as yesterday I was in the grocery store with 2 Mexicans. I politely moved my cart and said, "Excuse me" as one spoke English back.
It was hillarious as I was talking to the checkout gal later and she was telling me those Mexicans sure don't know English, but they sure know money. The hillarious part is as I quizzed her and she got to thinking was: The Mexicans as the counter she just checked out could not speak English and they did to me before.
She then said, "You know I hear them talking in the aisles English and they pull that same thing up here". She went onto relate they come in on WICK program for children the women and have no idea what it is for or what to do with formula. She said why on earth does the government give them all that stuff without explaining it to the women.
It is that every day examples of Americans having to put up with freebies to illegals to the game they always play in "no hablo ingles" which is the bedrock of the reason Americans are fed up with the problem.
Sure real estate, used car dealers, stores and slave businesses love them for the garbage they can sell them (The Mexicans I was associating with yesterday bought 90 bucks worth of veggies, but no meat......great for the California corporate farms, but no help to Montana ranchers with beef.) as it dumps on Mexicans things Americans would not put up with.
I have no idea what is to appreciate in Mexicans adopting themselves into my family so I end up paying for their schooling, medical, drives up my prices on fuel and housing and ruins my retirement benefits, so I can't afford anything.
Want to end the gas shortage.......stop the 11 million Mexicans buying 200 million gallons of gas a day.
I have a new bill for Democrats and it is simple as they like taxing oil and people. Have them pass a Mexican tax of 40 dollars for every barrel of oil Mexico pumps out of the ground to pay for the billions Mexicans take out of America every year and charge the Mexican government $8000 a head for every Mexican in America. That should pay for their medical costs, schooling and the rapists we are now housing for them in prison.
Mexico owes America 2.4 trillion dollars each year for the 30 million Mexican squatters here. Come on Congress tax Mexico and if they can't pay America can annex the top few Mexican states and Baja, put the 30 million illegals down there in enterprise zones which are American run like West Germany was and once these people get commerce figured out they will be trading partners with money staying in Mexico and not up here being slave labor.
Come on you two Dicks, Luger and Durban, tax Mexico and fix this problem as the Mexicans know they aren't welcome, so let's make them feel really welcome with the kinds of taxes Americans pay.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
The phony liberal guilt-trip
August 10, 2007 - 15:27 ET by RJ"Remittances to Mexico have become vital to the economics of the country's poorest regions, bank officials said. The money pays for drinking-water systems, roads, care for older people and other needs in villages and working-class neighborhoods."
Mexico is a wealthy country. It is not the responsibility of the US to make up for the irresponsibility of the Mexican government.
Speaking of Mexico's deliberate neglect...
August 10, 2007 - 16:17 ET by RJSpeaking of Mexico's deliberate neglect of its own people, where is the outrage directed at Mexico from the MSM, the left/liberal/Democrats...and, of course, LaRaza?
This is proof that it's political and not altruistic social ideas that drive these groups.
the decline reflected a
August 10, 2007 - 15:28 ET by dscottthe decline reflected a rising sense of insecurity and uncertainty about whether they would stay in the United States. Anticipating a possible move back to Mexico, these immigrants appear to be saving more."
"'They have decided because of the uncertainty of the future that they need to step back and save a bit,'
You mean that the illegals are going to self deport given the crack down on employers who hire illegals? You mean I can't complain about ICE not enforcing the Law anymore? You mean enforcing the Law actually does work? You mean what we have been advocating for years is not just foolish thinking that would never work because we can't get rid of them all? Boy I never saw that coming! <sarcasm>
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. Marcus Aurelius
"The immigrants in the
August 10, 2007 - 15:59 ET by Khyris"The immigrants in the survey included American citizens and legal and illegal residents."
Then what the hell good are your poll #'s? Why do I care what American citizens and legal residents do with their own money? I only care about what amounts to criminal money laundering. If you're getting paid, and don't have a work visa, you earned that money illegally. I don't care how hard you "worked" for it, I'm sure mobsters "work hard" for protection money and drug smugglers "work hard" simply transporting cargo. The money is still ill-gotten gains and should be confiscated, so why do I care if it's not making it back to Mexico? When did we become obligated to give handouts to the foreign poor? We do it because we CHOOSE to because we're a good people, not because a criminal wasn't able to steal enough to send home this week.
I use to live with a family that migrated here legally from Mexico 2 generations ago. They don't feel unappreciated or discriminated against. In fact, they abhor illegal immigrants more than most whites I know.
Funny you should say that
August 10, 2007 - 17:56 ET by UndercoverConservativeexcept for those supporting the political takeover of the area by so-called Hispanic forces, I see that a lot. it's carefully hidden though, since it's still considered "racist" and would get one blackballed sure and quick.
It's like the "N" word. You've never heard it spoken with such disgust and venom till you've heard it applied by a middle-class black man towards the low rent welfare "gangstas" and the serial "baby-mommas". The derision borne out of complete shame that these folks share "his" race.
The utter corruption of
August 10, 2007 - 16:06 ET by BlazerThe utter corruption of the Mexican government, and it's broken down politicians are what are hurting Mexicans not the U.S. government. We are Mexico's great big welfare handout.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
The wealthiest person in
August 10, 2007 - 16:06 ET by Senior ChiefThe wealthiest person in the world is a Mexican, and gone are the days of Bill Gates. So then, Democracks should be pushing leftoids down south since the pastures are greener on that side of the border...If one Mexican can make it, then all Mexicans should be able to make it, right? Right!
So, when the Mexicans and illegals leave the country, to whom the demoCracks are going to pander to? That's a very interesting question. So then, they'll going to shut the border to prevent the illegals from leaving. Forty thousand of them leftoids left already for Canada, remember...
How was this rather
August 10, 2007 - 16:37 ET by MidAmericaHow was this rather specific information gathered? I thought nobody knows where the illegals are.
Pragunta
August 10, 2007 - 16:24 ET by mattmPorque El Mexico no correcto ellos solomente problemas?
(Bad Spanish for: Why doesn't Mexico fix its own problems?)
Por que
August 10, 2007 - 16:26 ET by Cool ArrowPor que praguntas, dos peros. . .?
(Bad Spanish for: Why
August 10, 2007 - 16:35 ET by MightyMouth(Bad Spanish for: Why doesn't Mexico fix its own problems?)
Why should they when America is perfectly willing to do so?
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Because Mexico will require
August 10, 2007 - 17:28 ET by BDBecause Mexico will require a cultural change rather than a governmental change to effect a repair of an otherwise unworkable society.
Everything done in Mxico is handled on a system based on Graft. Liberals only discuss graft or recognize it as such when a conservative is responsible.
Instead, liberals in the media desire that government, rather than the people themselves handle problems by removing from those that have "legitimately" and giving to those that do not.
And for some reason liberals love EVERYTHING south of the line.
Call the movers!
August 11, 2007 - 03:29 ET by Happy FishmanAnd for some reason liberals love EVERYTHING south of the line.
I would be happy to call the moving van for them....
I thought the economy was doing badly because
August 10, 2007 - 16:43 ET by exLibI thought one indicator of our wretched economy was that no one was saving any money.
Now, we are told that saving is a bad thing?
What next?
}}---> Poor Illegals
August 10, 2007 - 17:26 ET by Cool ArrowSo, you see, Juan Carlos must now choose between his wife and children in Mexico and his girlfriend and children in the United States.
correction
August 10, 2007 - 18:02 ET by UndercoverConservativeyou mean "wife and children in the United States".
A coworker's gardener often talks of his wife here stateside, who he pays a token to after getting his green card, much less than market rate for child support. Pretty much handles her rent and the rest of her expenses come from the other child's father.
His wife runs his (already paid for) ranch down in Mexico and puts most of what he sends from the States towards retirement.
And the Media tries to tell you all Mexican illegals and immigrants are poor...HAHAHAHAHA!
I won't go into the Vietnamese retired general (a big property owner in his native land) and the retired Chinese CEO (still gets profits from his factories) who are getting living assistance, food stamps and cash bennies from America and the state of California...
It's no fun being an illegal alien
August 10, 2007 - 17:55 ET by nkviking75If libs were true to their alleged principles, they'd call illegal aliens "economic refugees" and they'd condemn the Mexican government for its corruption while allowing their people to live in poverty.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
If life is THAT miserable
August 10, 2007 - 19:11 ET by rbosqueIf life is THAT miserable for them here they can go back home. They weren't invited here.
That's Our Money Going to Mexico
August 11, 2007 - 20:48 ET by doctorfixitThat money belongs to the citizens of the United States . It's money that the invaders are stealing from us by not paying taxes, social security, health insurance, car insurance, unemployment insurance and all of the other costs that are being picked up by the US taxpayer. If the invaders were playing by the rules we are forced to play by, there would be no advantage in hiring them. American workers would be much more attractive - they can speak English, for one thing. The only reason illegals are able to undercut our wages is because they are cheating. That money belongs to us, and it should be confiscated and returned to the US Treasury. Money transfers to Mexico should be taxed at 100% to pay for the crime, the drugs, the gangs, and all of the social costs that tehy are causing. Our goal should be to make their lives more miserable than they are in Mexico, so they will stop coming over here.
BeBlogger
Ten Reforms That Will Save America