This is almost exactly what the nativists of the first half of the 19th century said about the Irish, German, and other immigrants of their time, especially the Irish; that they were dirty and illiterate; that they weren't fit to live in a republic, because they were Catholic and therefore slaves to the Pope; that they were radical, violent socialists; and that barriers should be put up to further immigration. Move a little later in the 19th century and the same thing was being said about the influx of Italians and Eastern European Jews. Some of it was even true, but given a generation or two in the U.S., they were sure enough mainstream as the original Anglo-Saxon and Dutch settlers.
There is one thing though that isn't being done with new immigrants -- especially Hispanic. We have to insist that they learn English. Even with thriving foreign-language publishing in the U.S. (especially NYC), immigrants were expected to learn English and that's how they fit into American culture.
Outside of that, though, one can take what is written about the Mexicans and Chinese today, replace it with what was written about the Irish and Germans 150 years ago, and it would read almost exactly the same.
Exactly, and well written.
Pat is not a racist; he is, however, race-obsessed.
There is a strain of American which looks to blame somebody or something for their economic plight or "immorality."
The boogeyman inevitably turns out to be "them." And "them" are those even lower on the economic ladder.
Human nature does not change.