Immigration and role reversal

This recent LA Times article does a great job of uncovering a dynamic within the immigration debate that the average layperson usually doesn't see. I think it provides some interesting context to the Mexican position on the continued immigration discussion.

The last several decades have seen a huge swelling of immigration from Latin America, specifically Mexico. Any look at the numbers will reveal this. The Mexican government has fought for Rights of immigrants living in the United States and it tacitly, scratch that openly, approves of this illegal and unchecked northern exodus. For a blatant example view this guide that the government published to help immigrants on their journey north. From the perspective of the government, immigration relieves a measure of burden in providing for the needs of a vastly impoverished citizenry.

Keep that in mind when you read about the plight of immigrants from sub-Mexican Central America as they cross Mexico en route to a better life in America. Do I smell hypocrisy? Mexican's have a wretched history of treating these immigrants worse then the treatment that Mexican immigrants receive in America. As a missionary in Texas I met many Salvadorians or Hondurans who were far more scared of being caught by the border patrol. They weren't afraid of being caught, they were mortified of the treatment that they would receive at the hands of the Mexican's once they were dumped at the other side of the border. I've also lived in various parts of Mexico and it doesn't take long before you realize the presence of a very tangible racism that occurs between the different ethnicity groups that comprise that nation. Let's just say that the majority of the indigenous Hispanics that make up the illegal population in the U.S. are also treated like the dregs of society in Mexico as well.

I agree that everyone should be treated with a certain level of dignity, regardless of whether or not they broke the laws to get here. But next time someone from Mexico decries the treatment of illegal immigrants in the U.S. they ought to look back at their own country in shame. For their paisanos are doing a much worse job with the way they are treating their immigrant neighbors from the Honduras or Nicaragua.