Misperceptions mean the plan will be unpopular
Nicole A. Kersey, Fall 2007, associate in the Business Immigration Group at Seyfarth Shaw, "MISPLACED OPPOSITION: IMMIGRATION INCENTIVES OF THE PROPOSED SOCIAL SECURITY TOTALIZATION AGREEMENT WITH MEXICO," 22 Geo. Immigr. L.J. 57, https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/geoimlj22, b
The fact that little information was available for over three years regarding [*66] the proposed agreement only fueled the gossip and myths about the agreement's anticipated effects on immigration. Now that the text is available, it is possible that some of the opposition to the agreement will diminish. Misperceptions about the immigration incentives created by the agreement, however, persist and are publicized by opposition groups. 48 Until the laws and regulations regarding benefit qualifications (as described below) are clarified, opposition to the proposed agreement will continue to focus on the misperceptions about the agreement rather than on its actual weaknesses. Ironically, opponents' efforts to publicize their inaccurate understandings may actually increase incentives to illegally immigrate to the United States by furthering the belief that benefits will be made widely available to unauthorized workers.