The Number of Anti-immigrant Hate Groups Rose in 2007

A new report by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) released today finds that "anti-immigrant sentiment is fueling nationwide increases in the number of hate groups and the number of hate crimes targeting Latinos." The report "found that the number of hate groups operating in America rose to 888 last year, up 5% from 844 groups in 2006. That capped an increase of 48% since 2000 -- a hike from 602 groups attributable to the exploitation by hate groups of the continuing debate about immigration." This year, SPLC added the prominent anti-immigration group Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) to its list of hate groups, prompted by FAIR's promotion of the conspiracy theory of the "North American Union" and the "theory that Mexico is involved in a secret plot to 'reconquer' the American southwest." Last year, FAIR warned that the so-called "McKennedy" comprehensive immigration reform bill proposed in the Senate "will destroy America." [MORE]