According to the latest annual count by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the number of hate groups operating in the U.S. has increased to 5% between last year and 2006; the 2007 estimate counts 888 groups, up from 844 the year prior.  The increase has become even more shocking overtime—since 2000, there has been a 48% increase in hate groups in America, a statistic SPLC attributes largely to the national immigration debate.  Of the 888 groups listed, over 300 are considered to be "nativist extremist" by the SPLC.

Support ing these estimates are the FBI statistics that suggest that there was a 35% rise in hate crimes against Latinos between 2003 and 2006.  The growth of these groups is being helped by conspiracy theories and other racist propaganda about immigrants that is being spread by mainstream politicians and pundits, according to the SPLC’s press release. While theories about a secret plan to merge Mexico , Canada and United States into a single country began in radical groups, for instance, many key figures have endorsed them. Indeed, 18 states' houses of representatives have now passed resolutions opposing the "North American Union" — an entity that does not exist and has never been planned, but nonetheless inhabits nativists' nightmares.

A surprising addition to the list is the Federation of American Immigration Reform, a comparatively large and influential anti-immigration policy think tank.  According to the SPLC’s press release, FAIR made the list due to "promoting such theories, coupled with a history of ties to white supremacist groups and ideology." According to the SPLC, FAIR has also promulgated the theory that Mexico is involved in a secret plot to "reconquer" the American Southwest.

For the results of the SPLC study, please visit http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=886