Immigration as Threat: A Content Analysis of Citizen Perception

Public discourse concerning immigration and immigration policy often relies on the characterization and universalization of the threats that are posed by increasing immigration. It is the specification and reference to these threats that allows one to consider immigration as moral panic. It is through this lens, that I undertake a content analysis of letters to the editor that appeared in a large southwestern city newspaper from January 1st 2005 to December 31st, 2005. This study describes the extent to which these threats seem to resonate with individuals who wrote and had published letters to the editor regarding immigration issues