In a country of mostly Protestants, why didn't the Church play a role in helping immigrants? Another way to continue the analysis of this excerpt is to find out how the audience responded to his lecture. (Labaree, 1850 in Cohen 995) Xenophobia is a long-standing problem in the United States. From the Founding Fathers to the presidents of liberal universities, immigrants were seen as inferior beings who needed to be brought out of obscurity. Through Labaree's analysis, perceptions of immigrants in the United States, the prejudices people had against immigrants, and the roles teachers are expected to fill were explored. It is rather painful to recognize that xenophobia currently exists and that people who hold power in the world system continue to harbor prejudices against immigrants. (Labaree, 1850 in Cohen