wetback
Wetback is an offensive slur for a Mexican who has entered the United States illegally, from the image of swimming across the Rio Grande.
The term is derogatory and dehumanizing, reducing a person to their manner of border crossing.
Though occasionally reclaimed, it remains a slur in most contexts: The foreman called his workers wetbacks behind their backs.
Expressing criticism or disrespect
- immigrantOne who resettles abroad
- undocumentedNot officially recorded
- xenophobiaHatred of outsiders
- racismPrejudice based on ethnicity
discrimination · border · Mexican · pejorative · offensive · slang · ethnic · prejudice
derogatory
Expressing criticism or disrespect
- immigrantOne who resettles abroad
- undocumentedNot officially recorded
- xenophobiaHatred of outsiders
racism · discrimination · border · Mexican · pejorative · offensive · slang · ethnic · prejudice · stereotype
swimming
Locomotion through water
drenched · wading · Rio Grande · water · current · riverbank · ford · submersion · moisture · dripping
- immigrationimmigrant, immigrants, visa, refugee, citizenship
- foreignersforeigner, immigrant, immigrants, migrant, expats
- illegal migrantsillegal alien, undocumented immigrant, undocumented worker
wetbackcitizen
Legal national member
legal resident · documented immigrant · American · native · legal alien