Poll: Mexicans Say U.S. is Racist

Newsmax
Apr. 23, 2006

A new poll on Mexican attitudes towards the U.S. debate on illegal immigration has found that a large plurality of those surveyed say Americans who favor tighter border security are "racist."

The survey, co-sponsored by the Dallas Morning New and Mexico's El Universal newspaper, found that the largest segment of respondents - 43 percent - cited racism as the chief reason that Americans oppose illegal immigration.

A much smaller number - 16 percent - said U.S. citizens are most concerned about law enforcement. Just 14 percent think Americans are not racist, but fear being overrun by foreign cultures.

"Yes, it's true about racism," said Gloria Vázquez Solache, 59, a Mexico City resident who was among those polled. "They humiliate our countrymen and even burn Mexican flags. Fear of a 'foreign culture' is nonsense."

The same poll found that 76 percent of Mexicans think that crossing into the U.S. illegally should not be a crime.

79 percent of Mexicans want illegals already in the US to be legalized.