Immigration

So I'd like to know...
When did "Immigrant" become a dirty word in this country?
So often I hear the word used in conjunction with complaints about crime that I fear future generations will assume it is synonymous with convict. Modern immigrants are the scapegoats for a variety of ailments concerning our country, from economic crisis to urbanization.

Good ol' boys preach that the minorities of this country will take over with a swift flourish of the sombrero because of the option to press 2 for spanish. Those who make these arguments are sunk in the depths of racist paranoia. According to them, their Mexican co-worker is on the verge of offering a blanket covered in smallpox scabs (hindsight's a bitch, ain't it?). I know that I can't demean someone for trying to make a better life for them self or their loved ones.

We champion the story of Ellis island, but chastise the migrant worker who sends money to his family instead of spending it on a brand new Thunderbird. Very few Americans today can say their family originated in this country. Let us not forget that this land was not God-given, but taken in the name of God.