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Unpublished Paper
The Alien Invasion?
ExpressO (2008)
  • Ediberto Roman, Florida International University College of Law
Abstract

The Alien Invasion? explores the increasingly prevalent undercurrent of xenophobia and nativism appearing both in political circles and major media outlets throughout the nation. Of prime significance to the invasion rhetoric are the arguments that the current wave of immigration is of a volume unprecedented in American history, that it negatively impacts the nation’s economy, and that it puts America’s national security at risk by allowing potential terrorists to permeate our borders. By juxtaposing the substance of such claims with empirical data demonstrating the actual effects of the Latino and Latina immigrant population, The Alien Invasion? seeks to demonstrate that the main points of contention for anti-immigration pundits are not only unfounded, but arguably fueled by xenophobic and racist undertones. To this end, the piece engages in an in-depth examination of this land’s historical treatment of immigrant groups, particularly self-serving selective patterns of inclusion during times of need, followed by exclusion and shunning when those needs were satisfied.

Keywords
  • Immigration,
  • empirical data,
  • presidential election,
  • invasion
Disciplines
Publication Date
February 20, 2008
Citation Information
Ediberto Roman. "The Alien Invasion?" ExpressO (2008)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ediberto_roman/2/