No One Is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the U.S.-Mexico Border Paperback – July 15, 2006

This book dismantles the narratives we hear from the establishment media regarding undocumented workers. It covers the history of oppression migrant workers have faced, including beatings from the KKK and the Order of Caucasians, among other vigilantes organized by agribusiness interests.It also covers the devastating impacts of NAFTA on Mexico's economy. Page 121 points out, "Over 1.3 million small farmers in Mexico were pushed into bankruptcy by cheap American grain imports between 1994 and 2004. Luis Tellez, former undersecretary for planning in Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources, estimates that as many as 15 million peasants will leave agriculture in the next few decades, many seeing migration north as the only option. . . Meanwhile, the deindustrialization of Mexico continues unabated. Mexico lost an unprecedented 515,000 jobs in the first three months of 2005 alone."What industry there is, is now found in the sites of hyper-exploitation known as maquiladoras.One negative review calls the book "Marxist." Well, the book is mostly just an honest analysis of the situation. Something that demagogues like Tom Tancredo avoid. Tancredo likes to whip up hysteria. His congressional district (one of the wealthiest in the country) has a large Lockheed Martin plant. Lockheed will be making a fortune on the further militarization of the border.Anyway, the book does include one quotation from Karl Marx, and I think it's worth repeating. Justin Akers Chacon writes: "Marx illustrated the self-sabotaging nature of the conflict between 'native-born' workers and immigrant workers in his analysis of the relationship between the English and Irish working classes when he wrote, 'The ordinary English worker hates the Irish worker as a competitor who lowers his standard of life. In relation to the Irish worker, he feels himself a member of the ruling nation and so turns himself into a tool of the aristocrats and capitalists of his country against Ireland, thus stengthening their domination over himself. He cherishes religious, social and national prejudices against the Irish worker. This antagonism is the secret of the impotence of the English working class, despite its organization. It is the secret by which the capitalist class maintains its power. And that class is fully aware of it.'Inter-ethnic and international class solidarity, or lack thereof, has been a determinant of the progression, inertia, or regression of the American labor movement. When nationalist or chauvinist sentiments are strong, the working class is weak, demonstrating the deep penetration of ruling-class ideology into working-class consciousness."This book also covers the conquest of Mexico, and the opportunities for organizing immigrants.It's a sensational book that I have been quoting over various message boards. I'll be buying several copies of it.[...]

Professors Akers Chacón and Davis provide a in-depth analysis of the current transnational migration of working class people--predominantly from Mexico. Although the text is an attempt at providing a Marxist-analysis of class conflict as the underpinning of the current movement of bodies across the border, the authors expand to include the globalization of financial capitalism as the main cause of such transnational migration of working class people. Given that the majority of those who migrate across the U.S.-Mexico boundary are for economic reasons, the authors suggest that the struggles of the working class undocumented workers are the struggles of all workers, and hence none of them are "illegal" but rather they are responding to the deepening of the capitalist crisis spreading throughout the world; it is a natural response by humans trying to survive. It is a thought-provoking analysis.

I used this book as a primary source for my research on how the US agriculture industry depends on cheap immigrant labor. Extremely informative and with a lot of useful info. Provides history on the issue and ties it together with what is currently happening in regards to the US/Mexico border issue.

no problems

Excellent investigation work!! I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know the historical truth!!!

incredible read!!!! Definitely recommend!!!!!!!!

I just finished the book! Excellent!

Thank you