WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Group Claims Political Ads Attack Latinos

Group Claims Political Ads Attack Latinos

By Kandiss Crone
kandiss@wlbt.net

Illegal immigration has become a hot topic in the race for governor and lieutenant governor, as evidenced in a television ad by the Phil Bryant campaign:

"Some people are afraid to talk illegal immigration, but it's an issue that's way to important to be ignored," the ad says. "Each year it costs Mississippi taxpayers $25 million for education and healthcare. That hurts our budget and our communities."

A ad by gubernatorial candidate John Arthur Eaves also references illegal immigration:

"Jobs to foreign countries, jobs to illegal aliens," the ad says. "No wonder Mississippi is 49th in jobs, because big money is who Haley Barbour serves."

But as much attention these ads have garnered from those who oppose illegal immigration, they have attracted just as much attention from immigrants' rights activists.

"The attacks on Latinos initiated by Phil Bryant a year and a half ago and joined in by other Republicans is now being echoed by Democrats like John Arthur Eaves," said Victoria Cintra of the Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance.

The Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance says these types of ads perpetuate xenophobia against Latinos, those here legally and illegally.

"These candidates are peddling racist lies against immigrants that violate the core of the parties' progressive agenda," Cintra said.

"I think they overreaact when they can't argue the truth or say these people are here illegally and they're falsifying documents," said Bryant. "Then they call you names. It's much easier to call someone a xenophobic than them say, 'Maybe he's right.'"

A campaign spokesperson for Eaves issued this statement: "As governor John Eaves will serve all Mississippians by taking on illegal immigration... as a Christian he doesn't blame anyone for wanting a better life for their family. But John Eaves will stand up for Mississippi taxpayers against anyone who breaks our laws, period."

The group says the attacks on Latinos began after the release of last year's state auditor's report entitled "The Impact of Illegal Immigration on Mississippi."