The rallies have done the damage many predicted, and the backlash is beginning.

It is no surprise.  If you come to the country illegally, become a burden to local economies, the go on marches disrupting communities all the while despoiling the symbols of the country you are now demanding citizenship in, well how can you not expect people to be pissed?

A lot of illegal immigrant supporters will claim it is just those conservative racist xenophobes.  Small minded bigots.

How then do they explain the overwhelming resentment coming from the immigrant community itself?  People here to work legally who resent the demands made by their criminal counterparts.  People who came here and worked their butts off to become citizens.

Again, I stress that the present system is broken.  We have gone for too long with a system that encourages the people to sneak in, along with companies that encourage- no welcome the illegals here.  And this is fueled by an institutional apathy towards enforcement.  No one is really arguing that.

So rather then hold your asinine Reconquista signs, and flying flags upside down, how about we discuss real reform.

Continuing this way will lead to more backlashes and overreactions.

We love our immigrant history.  We all acknowledge the historical contributions of immigrantrs, and almost all right thinking Americans understand your desire to come here.  We will welcome you with open arms, but not when you put a gun to our heads and demand it.

And make no mistake, until someone actually grants you amnesty, you are here illegally, and hence you are a criminal.  I cannot sugar coat that to salve your feelings.

After Protests, Backlash Grows

While a series of marches focused much of the nation’s attention on the plight of illegal immigrants, scores of other Americans quietly seethed. Now, with the same full-throated cry expressed by those in the country illegally, they are shouting back.

Congressional leaders in Washington have gotten bricks in the mail from a group that advocates building a border fence, states in the West and South have drawn up tough anti-immigrant laws, and ordinary citizens, such as Janis McDonald of Pennsylvania, who considers herself a liberal, are not mincing words in expressing their displeasure.

"Send them back," McDonald said. "Build a damn wall and be done with it."

The anger evoked a word that immigrant organizers who opposed Monday’s boycott feared: backlash. McDonald and other Americans were particularly disturbed by Monday’s boycott and civil action, attended in large part by people who entered the country illegally and are now demanding rights enjoyed by U.S.-born citizens and immigrants who entered the country legally.

"How dare they," said McDonald, a research specialist for the University of Pittsburgh who said she voted for Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) in the 2004 presidential election. "If they are so active, why aren’t they in Mexico City, why aren’t they forcing their leaders there to deal with the quality of life? If you don’t like it here, go home."

That strong sentiment was heard across the country, on a radio program in Los Angeles, where talk-show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou encouraged listeners to participate in a "Great American Spend-a-Lot" to offset the effect of the boycott. They vowed to reimburse listeners picked in a drawing.

In the Washington area, African American radio listeners kept bringing up the immigration issue as Leila McDowell, a guest host on the Joe Madison show, tried to discuss abuse of black and Latino workers at a North Carolina meat-processing plant.

"I would say that the majority of comments were hostile, but it wasn’t an overwhelming majority," said McDowell. "A lot of people said immigrants were trying to make ends meet just like us. And then there were those who said that they’re taking our jobs, they’re taking our services, that they shouldn’t be legal, that my forefathers were slaves, and these people haven’t paid their dues."

In Kansas City, Mo., Joyce Mucci, the executive director of the Mid-America Immigration Reform Coalition, said she didn’t see much impact from the march in her city.

"Frankly I think they’re overplaying their hand," she said, adding, "I think people who may have been sitting on the fence are not sitting on the fence anymore. These marches are not helping the people they’re intending to help."

Congress is considering several immigration reform proposals. One would hand out temporary work permits to foreigners outside the country, allow illegal residents already here to pay a fine and work, possibly toward legal residency. Another would make it a felony to enter the country illegally and to offer assistance to anyone who does, and would build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. A third would force illegal immigrants here to go home before being allowed to work.

Whether the anger expressed by some Americans will translate into votes in November is anybody’s guess. Fred Yang, a Democratic consultant in Washington, guessed that it will not.

"This is going to be like a tug of war," he said. "I think Republicans are trying to exploit voter concerns about immigration. It’s not a winning strategy. I think voters are more concerned about health-care costs, the cost of higher education and gasoline and energy than immigration."

Immigration opponents are also concerned about the costs of public services immigrants use at the expense of taxpayers. Don Stewart, a spokesman for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), said his state spends $2 billion a year on health care and education for people in the country illegally. Arizona and California officials said their expense for detaining illegal immigrants who commit crimes is a combined $950 million per year, a fraction of which is reimbursed by the federal government.

"It’s an enormous burden on taxpayers," Stewart said. "It’s funny that people think that going out on the streets will make people change their minds. There are very strong opinions on this issue."

Cornyn is one of many politicians who got a gift from Send-a-brick.com, which allows visitors to purchase a brick for about $11 and mail it to their representative, a weighty hint to build a border fence. The site’s operators could not be reached for comment.

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), one of the most vocal lawmakers arguing for a tough approach to illegal immigrants, said he recently attended a dinner at which an employer received rousing applause for his stand against an immigrant worker who wanted to take Monday off. "He said he told him that if you don’t come to work Monday, don’t bother coming in on Tuesday."

My previous immigration posts:

• Local Illegal Immigration Rally news
• Lou Dobbs gets it right: Who is really behind the immigration protests?
• May Day Rant
• The Star Spangled Argument
• The Hybrid at Hotair.com
• The Consequences of Free Speech- Welcome to America
• Where is the ACLU- Flag Burning Edition
• Ann Coulter on Immigration
• Hey Democrats! Security means BORDER Security too
• All Latinos Are NOT In Agreement On Immigration
• Mark Steyn on Immigration
• The Flag Ban Disease Spreads
• Immigration Protests spur flag ban- US Flags too-updated
• Mexican Flag Burning in Arizona
• Let’s Be Clear What The Real Immigration Issues Are.
• Cut classes, and get suspended? Nope, you get a bus ride home.
• Immigration rights shouldn’t mean the right to be illegal
• Ariz. Governor Orders Troops to Border

See related backlash info at:  Michelle Malkin, Captain’s Quarters and a bunch more, but I’m just too tired to link them all.

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