Episode nine of season 15 of “South Park,” “The Last of the Meheecans,” has American narcissism as the target of satire. Throughout the episode, illegal Mexican immigrants are seen hopping over the border back into Mexico in pursuit of a better life after the realization that the United States is going downhill. This comical rendition might not be so farfetched.
The influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico in the U.S. has dropped for the first time in 40 years. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, 1.4 million Mexicans came to the U.S. between 2005 and 2010 (as opposed to the 3 million who entered the U.S. between 1995 and 2000). Between 2005 and 2010, a total of 1.4 million Mexicans actually left the U.S. to return to Mexico. The immigration is not just slowing down — it’s at a standstill.
Several reasons have been cited as the reason for this shift in immigration. One is, of course, the increasingly strict immigration laws being passed in states like Arizona. Arizona’s anti-immigration law — which was recently edited to require authorities to check a person’s citizenship papers when they’re stopped for other reasons — is inspiring similar legislation in states like Alabama, Georgia and Utah.@@http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/apr2012/cour-a26.shtml@@
But another major reason is entirely different — the failing U.S. economy.
According to the CIA, Mexico’s unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in 2011, down from 5.4 percent in 2010. The United States’ current unemployment rate is 8.2 percent. @@http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=z1ebjpgk2654c1_&met_y=unemployment_rate&idim=country:US&fdim_y=seasonality:S&dl=en&hl=en&q=current+unemployment+united+states@@That’s not to say that the Mexican economy is flourishing, but America’s is becoming less worth the risk of deportation. The demand for labor is shrinking, and the Pew Study states that lack of available jobs may be a big reason as to why immigration has slowed down.
In essence, this trend has said something that average Americans might find hard to believe — that a “land of opportunity” might not be a label we can claim anymore.
Since the beginning of our nation, the U.S. has been a haven for those seeking a better life for self and family. When we think of those seeking a better life, we imagine those seeking freedom and employment. Unfortunately, for immigrants and citizens alike, these characteristics of ours are and have been unstable.
American pride can be some of the most tangible nationalism in the world. We have a common, sustained belief that we are “number one,” and this belief is unusual when compared to nationalism outside the United States.
Whether or not a person opposed or supported strict anti-immigration laws, the shift in immigration should mean something to the average American. Yes, factors such as slowing population growth and a rising gross domestic product in Mexico, more efficient border patrol and stricter immigration laws are part of the reason. But this shift should also be a catalyst for Americans to reevaluate how they view this country as well as those outside of it.
Patriotism is an amazing thing, but it can also blind citizens to a growing problem. It can mask a necessary concern and inspire confidence where there should be action.
Sometimes it’s necessary to view a situation through the eyes of an outside source in order to properly evaluate it.