If You Assault Someone for being an 'Illegal Alien', that's a Hate Crime

  Perhaps the most hated people in all of society are not even mentioned in any of the hate-crimes laws of our nation.
   The laws might enhance penalties for assault based on ancestry, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Maybe even political beliefs gets tossed in there from time to time.
   But, what if you attack them because they crossed the border illegally? No group in America faces so much resentment and ill will than do these "illegal immigrants."
   You might argue they are covered in the categories of race, and national origin, but many will tell you they don't oppose legal immigration, only illegal immigration. That they are Mexican or come from Mexico is not the problem.
   Now, it cannot be said that everyone who opposes "illegal immigration" does so in hatred. Many who oppose the undocumented immigrant, love those of them who who they know -- Maybe even love them all, including those they've never met.
   But -- make no mistake -- hatred of the "illegal immigrant" rides in the hearts of many. To suppose that some of this hatred cannot spill over into hate crimes is surely inaccurate.
   I do wonder how many undocumented people are victims of hate crime. I wonder if there are any statistics. Even using the current language (race and national origin) many perpetrators could be prosecuted.
   I am probably not a proponent of our current hate crimes laws (let me study it more). But, I do think it noteworthy that the laws might not be being applied to immigrants as quickly as they are to those of other social categories.