The public’s ‘ambivalence’ on immigration blocks a solution

The Clarion-Ledger Editorial, 6/14/7

Reports that Hispanics have increased 35 percent while other races have increased slightly or not at all feeds a fear that people who don’t speak English are taking jobs, getting a free ride for education and health care and committing criminal acts.

But hyperbole aside, the reality is that as a people, Mississippians and Americans don’t really have a unified sense of direction on the topic. Some individuals do. Some candidates and some politicians do. But the people don’t.

There’s no clear majority demanding “seal the borders” or “open the floodgates.” Unless or until such a consensus emerges, we’ll kind of muddle along.