[lovich]

I’m somewhat sympathetic with that critique on mass immigration in regards to dropping wages at the low end, but as I never see the anti immigration folk push for regulating or attacking the companies hiring said immigrants, I am comfortable just assuming it’s racism.

Everytime I get into the weeds with anti immigration people I feel like I run through the IQ meme with “it’s just racism” on the low and high ends and {insert whatever alternative argument they have} in the middle.

[kgwgk]

> I never see the anti immigration folk push for regulating or attacking the companies hiring said immigrants, I am comfortable just assuming it’s racism.

How wouldn't it be just as racist to attack companies for hiring immigrants?

[tmtvl]

I think what GP means is 'attack those companies for not paying decent wages', not 'attack those companies for hiring immigrants'.

[s1artibartfast]

You think it is better to have people complaining about companies hiring completely legal migrants than seeking to reform the system in the first place?

Governmental policy is the appropriate place to focus attention - not Twitter outrage campaigns about random companies following the laws that were democratically put in place

[lovich]

I didn’t say it was better. I said it was indicative that it was just racism.

When I see ICE raid a farm or factory and take a bunch of illegal immigrants to praise, but the company has no consequences other than losing their employees and the anti immigration crowd is silent about that, then I feel like it’s just racism.

Also I would expect a push for limiting legal immigration from the camp that would be legitimate in arguing for less immigration to keep domestic wages higher, not necessarily pushing against the hiring of people who got past the rule system.

[like_any_other]

> but as I never see the anti immigration folk push for regulating or attacking the companies hiring said immigrants

They did this already back when Reagan granted amnesty in exchange for stronger border protections [1], it just hardly ever got enforced because employers are good at lobbying. This is slowly starting to change [2].

Despite this, yes, it is xenophobia. As much as they hate to admit it, opposition to immigration usually stems from wanting to maintain some semblance of a country, not an economic zone. Though the economic case for immigration has also been debunked [3].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Reform_and_Control...

[2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/11/28/employ...

[3] https://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/2024/02/fiscal-impact-of-immigr...