"They Take Our Jobs!": And 20 Other Myths about ImmigrationClaims 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 |
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Common terms and phrases
AFL-CIO African Americans agricultural aliens Anglo-Saxon anti-immigrant Asian assimilation began bilingual education blacks bracero program California census Chinese colonial color Congress created Cubans cultural denied deportation economic employers enter ethnic European immigrants excluded explained factories federal Filipinos global gration groups Guatemala Haiti Haitians ican illegal immigrants immi immigrant workers immigration policy Impossible Subjects Indian industries inequality island James Loewen labor market land language Latin American learning English living ment Mexican Mexico migration million MYTH Native Ngai noncitizens numbers Passel percent Pew Hispanic Center Pew Research Center Philippines political poor population Puerto Rico quota race racial recruitment refugees Remittances restrictions Ricans secondary labor market sector slave slavery social status sterilization Sundown Towns taxes tion today's immigrants U.S. Census Bureau U.S. citizens U.S. government Unauthorized Migrants undocumented immigrants unions United visas Wayuu women York
Popular passages
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.