"They Take Our Jobs!": And 20 Other Myths about Immigration

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Beacon Press, Jun 1, 2007 - Social Science - 264 pages
Claims that immigrants take Americans' jobs, are a drain on the American economy, contribute to poverty and inequality, destroy the social fabric, challenge American identity, and contribute to a host of social ills by their very existence are openly discussed and debated at all levels of society. Chomsky dismantles twenty of the most common assumptions and beliefs underlying statements like "I'm not against immigration, only illegal immigration" and challenges the misinformation in clear, straightforward prose.

In exposing the myths that underlie today's debate, Chomsky illustrates how the parameters and presumptions of the debate distort how we think—and have been thinking—about immigration. She observes that race, ethnicity, and gender were historically used as reasons to exclude portions of the population from access to rights. Today, Chomsky argues, the dividing line is citizenship. Although resentment against immigrants and attempts to further marginalize them are still apparent today, the notion that non-citizens, too, are created equal is virtually absent from the public sphere. Engaging and fresh, this book will challenge common assumptions about immigrants, immigration, and U.S. history.
 

Contents

IMMIGRANTS TAKE AMERICAN JOBS
3
IMMIGRANTS COMPETE WITH LOWSKILLED WORKERS AND DRIVE DOWN WAGES
11
UNIONS OPPOSE IMMIGRATION BECAUSE IT HARMS THE WORKING CLASS
30
IMMIGRANTS DONT PAY TAXES
36
IMMIGRANTS ARE A DRAIN ON THE ECONOMY
39
IMMIGRANTS SEND MOST OF WHAT THEY EARN OUT OF THE COUNTRY IN THE FORM OF REMITTANCES
46
THE RULES APPLY TO EVERYONE SO NEW IMMIGRANTS NEED TO FOLLOW THEM JUST AS IMMIGRANTS IN THE PAST DID
53
THE COUNTRY IS BEING OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
58
IMMIGRANTS ONLY COME HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO ENJOY OUR HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING
121
THE PHILIPPINES
133
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC OPPOSES IMMIGRATION AND THE DEBATE IN CONGRESS REFLECTS THAT
149
THE OVERWHELMING VICTORY OF PROPOSITION 187 IN CALIFORNIA SHOWS THAT THE PUBLIC OPPOSES IMMIGRATION
162
IMMIGRATION IS A PROBLEM
166
COUNTRIES NEED TO CONTROL WHO GOES IN AND OUT
171
WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR BORDERS TO PREVENT CRIMINALS AND TERRORISTS FROM ENTERING THE COUNTRY
180
IF PEOPLE BREAK OUR LAWS BY IMMIGRATING ILLEGALLY THEY ARE CRIMINALS AND SHOULD BE DEPORTED
184

THE UNITED STATES HAS A GENEROUS REFUGEE POLICY
64
THE UNITED STATES IS A MELTING POT THAT HAS ALWAYS WELCOMED IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
77
SINCE WE ARE ALL THE DESCENDANTS OF IMMIGRANTS HERE WE ALL START ON EQUAL FOOTING
91
TODAYS IMMIGRANTS THREATEN THE NATIONAL CULTURE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ASSIMILATING
103
TODAYS IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT LEARNING ENGLISH AND BILINGUAL EDUCATION JUST ADDS TO THE PROBLEM
110
EPILOGUE
194
TIMELINE
199
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
210
NOTES
211
Copyright

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Page xviii - Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

About the author (2007)

Aviva Chomsky is professor of history and coordinator of Latin American Studies at Salem State College. The author of several books, Chomsky has been active in Latin American solidarity and immigrants' rights issues for over twenty-five years. She lives in Salem, Massachusetts.

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