Speech #960168833

Cornelius. professor of political science and director of a program in United StatesMexican Studies at the University of California. San Diego. which discusses the impact of burgeoning Mexican migration on public opinion and policy. The problem of managing the Mexican immigration phenomenon is growing and it is imperative that policy makers have an historical perspective on this process and a greater understanding of its implications for American employment and economic prosperity. This article. entitled "Building the Cactus Curtain: Mexican Immigration and U.S. Response." speaks to a dangerous. but growing school of thought that views immigration patterns as a source of new and unacceptable burdens on our economy and our people. We must be prepared. if as the author anticipates. our nation is vulnerable to periodic antiMexican "nativist" swings of opinion. The most effective weapon to combat this threat is knowledge of the problem. its history and our options for action.