Throughout US history, there have been “periods of inclusion, and periods of exclusion”, said Rubén G Rumbaut, a sociologist at the University of California, Irvine.  … “When there’s a perception of threat, it becomes easier for leaders to manipulate the masses to scapegoat foreigners,” he said. “But California’s economy, even more now, is heavily dependent on immigrant labor,” Rumbaut added. “And once the pandemic is brought under control, immigrant labor will be essential to economic recovery.”

For the full story, please visit https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/31/california-immigration-mexico-coronavirus-us.