Illegal Immigration Protests Spark Backlash

Previously I had posted about an effort to send bricks to Congress in order express support for building a wall along our southern border. It would appear as though the bricks are starting to get some attention in Washington.
It also appears as though the May 1st pro-illegal immigration protests have having an effect I predicted: Backlash from Americans.

The Washington Post – While a series of marches focused much of the nation’s attention on the plight of illegal immigrants, scores of other Americans quietly seethed. Now, with the same full-throated cry expressed by those in the country illegally, they are shouting back.
Congressional leaders in Washington have gotten bricks in the mail from a group that advocates building a border fence, states in the West and South have drawn up tough anti-immigrant laws, and ordinary citizens, such as Janis McDonald of Pennsylvania, who considers herself a liberal, are not mincing words in expressing their displeasure.
“Send them back,” McDonald said. “Build a damn wall and be done with it.”
The anger evoked a word that immigrant organizers who opposed Monday’s boycott feared: backlash. McDonald and other Americans were particularly disturbed by Monday’s boycott and civil action, attended in large part by people who entered the country illegally and are now demanding rights enjoyed by U.S.-born citizens and immigrants who entered the country legally.
“How dare they,” said McDonald, a research specialist for the University of Pittsburgh who said she voted for Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) in the 2004 presidential election. “If they are so active, why aren’t they in Mexico City, why aren’t they forcing their leaders there to deal with the quality of life? If you don’t like it here, go home.”
That strong sentiment was heard across the country, on a radio program in Los Angeles, where talk-show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou encouraged listeners to participate in a “Great American Spend-a-Lot” to offset the effect of the boycott. They vowed to reimburse listeners picked in a drawing.
In the Washington area, African American radio listeners kept bringing up the immigration issue as Leila McDowell, a guest host on the Joe Madison show, tried to discuss abuse of black and Latino workers at a North Carolina meat-processing plant.
“I would say that the majority of comments were hostile, but it wasn’t an overwhelming majority,” said McDowell. “A lot of people said immigrants were trying to make ends meet just like us. And then there were those who said that they’re taking our jobs, they’re taking our services, that they shouldn’t be legal, that my forefathers were slaves, and these people haven’t paid their dues.”
In Kansas City, Mo., Joyce Mucci, the executive director of the Mid-America Immigration Reform Coalition, said she didn’t see much impact from the march in her city.
“Frankly I think they’re overplaying their hand,” she said, adding, “I think people who may have been sitting on the fence are not sitting on the fence anymore. These marches are not helping the people they’re intending to help.”

As I’ve said before: These protests were a lose-lose proposition for the illegal immigration movement. The reactions to the protests I’ve seen and heard have ranged from being unimpressed by the turnout to being angry as the presumptive attempt to hurt or disrupt America’s economy.
To be honest with you, at this point I’m just about willing to give in and say that we should grant amnesty to the 12 million or so illegal immigrants in this country as long as it would also meant comprehensive border enforcement (including a wall), legal immigration reform (to make coming here legally easier) and a serious effort to capture an deport those who still jump the border despite the previous two provisions.
I still think granting amnesty would be a terrible mistake, but if doing so would let us get on track with real border security and immigration enforcement then maybe it is the right time for a compromise.