To the Editor:

Dan Moffett's analysis is accurate: "The spread of swine flu through the hemisphere also has spread a new outbreak of xenophobia." ("Avoid political pandemic," May 4).

Some mainstream media pundits and anti-immigrant groups are blaming immigrants in general and Mexicans in particular. These pundits too often have blamed immigrants for other societal ills.

Now comes the suggestion that terrorists are using undocumented immigrants to pass the virus onto unsuspecting Americans. In 2007, hate crimes against Latinos accounted for 62 percent of all ethnicity-based hate crimes. This country needs to live by its ideals as a pluralistic society and a nation of immigrants.