Immigration Raid Jars A Small Town

Washington Post ^ | 05/18/08 | Spencer S. Hsu

[Clemenza]

I agree with you on all points, but still believe that unions deserve the Pinkerton treatment. Leave collective bargaining to the socialists and union members to the Democrats.

[nonliberal]

After the raid in Cedar Rapids, there were Americans lining up to fill those jobs.

[Tired of Taxes]

Funny, Mexicans, the new WOPs. Without papers.

With Out Papers?

I'd always heard "wop" was an acronym for "without papers," too. The story was that "WOP" was stamped on documents at Ellis Island. But, as it turns out, there never was such a stamp used at Ellis Island, and the term probably originated from either an Italian word or a Spanish slur for Italians.