Abstract
Immigration from Mexico and Latin America currently is a topic of considerable political and social debate, often fueled by distorted public perception about crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, and other offenses allegedly committed by immigrants. Recurrent depictions of Mexicans in the media convey them as illegal aliens who sneak into the United States to commit crime, steal jobs, and create havoc. Less common, although still on occasion, are Mexicans portrayed as hard working, earnest providers for their families who are pursuing the American Dream. Almost never are Americans shown images or informed of the risks and vulnerabilities that Mexicans, including Mexican-Americans, legal Mexican immigrants, and undocumented “aliens,” experience.
The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of Mexican immigration to the United States (both legal and undocumented), by exploring the ways in which Mexicans living in the country experience social interactions within the context of their immigrant lives. Using features of social exclusion theory, this paper presents a description of some current effects of immigrant stigmatization. It is not intended as an all-inclusive account of all the situations that immigrants experience, but rather as a starting point of discussion on this important topic.