Latinos Voice Frustration with Immigration as Inequality Grows
The Experience of One Immigrant Highlights Growing Latino Frustration with the System
Xochilt Nuñez defies the typical narrative around immigration critics. As a Mexican immigrant who crossed into California in 1999, her difficult journey over a week without food or water was arduous. Yet today, the 53-year-old farmworker and single mother expresses mixed views about new arrivals at the southern border.
Nuñez represents a growing number of Latinos, both native-born and undocumented, voicing concerns about the immigration system and sometimes directing frustration toward migrants. Polls show heightened worry among Latino communities.
The roots of this Latino discontent are multifaceted. Decades of failed comprehensive reform left the system in disarray, fueling resentment. But it also stems from widening economic inequality in California and the nation. According to sociologist Cristina Mora, “These conversations are happening as California is more unequal…but it’s easy to blame newcomers.”
For Nuñez, her frustration comes from believing the system is “hopelessly rigged” — more than 25 years after arriving, she remains like many farm workers. Economic pressures and disconnects faced by Latinos are exacerbated by online misinformation about migrants.
Experts note this is not the first time Latinos have directed anger at new immigrant groups. The nation has a long history of anti-immigrant sentiment within the Latino community itself.
The current backlash also reflects the complexities of the debate, where the interests of different Latino subgroups don’t always align. While some Latinos empathize with new migrants’ struggles, others view them as threats.
Ultimately, frustration voiced by Latinos like Nuñez underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform and addressing growing inequality fueling resentment across communities.
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