We should embrace immigration
Recent polls have placed immigration on top of the “most important problem list.” A record 55% of eligible voters say the large number of immigrants entering the United States represents a critical threat to American interests. Ninety percent of Republicans believe this to be true.
The national discourse on immigration has become so polarized that a consensus on the issue is impossible. The opinion pages of the Observer- Reporter are no exception. The newspaper’s editorials, letters to the editor and op-ed pieces have taken strong positions on opposite sides of the debate.
For example, on Jan. 11, a letter to the editor advised “Stop being so afraid of immigrants! Each wave brings people who come here not to steal, but to live and work and raise their families. Give the U.S. Border Patrol what they need to keep out the bad apples.”
On Feb. 14, an op-ed written by David Ball concluded, “President Biden is guilty of dereliction of duty….the American people will pay with our treasure, our health, safety and security.”
On March 2, 2024, an O-R editorial was headlined, “Immigrants are a boost to the economy, not a drain on it.” The editorial stated, “…history has shown that they actually brought great benefits to this country. The same holds true today.”
A letter responding to this editorial called it “dishonest and naïve.” The writer went on to comment, “Draining Third World cesspools and providing them with transportation, living quarters, free education and health care, while giving us taxpayers the finger does absolutely nothing to enhance our national security.”
A second letter that responded to the O-R editorial was headlined, “The U.S. has thrived thanks to immigration.”
There are actually three issues in play when analyzing the immigration dilemma. The first focuses on the causes of world migration and immigration patterns. This important topic is largely ignored by commentators.
Almost all Americans support a solution to the second issue, the need for legislation to address the border crisis. Unfortunately, former President Trump has placed the remedy out of reach.
The third involves the role that immigration plays in American economic development. It has been overshadowed by the border crisis.
With the goal of bringing some love and understanding to immigration, I’ll explore each topic.
World migration and immigration patterns. Immigration is hardly a problem unique to the United States. In 2024, there are more borders in the world than at any time in human history. Borders are often drawn arbitrarily. They divide intact communities of like-minded ethnic or religious people. Nonetheless, most individuals prefer to remain in their country of birth. Unfortunately, wars, political strife, climate catastrophes, and climate change are forcing large numbers to migrate in order to survive.
Forced migration often causes a negative domino effect. As an example, large numbers of young Bangladeshis sought refuge in Palermo, Italy, after thousands of oppressed migrants from Myanmar entered Bangladesh, leaving nothing for the native population.
Americans enjoy mobility, choices on where to live and economic opportunities unavailable to most of the world’s population. It is difficult for our citizens to imagine the desperate plight of international refugees. If anything, America should be embarrassed that poorer countries host many more displaced people, with fewer resources and with less hysteria, than we do.
According to The Economist, in spite of all the worlds’ trouble spots and migration of people, the numbers on the move are only a sixth of what they were after the Second World War. Moreover, as populations grow older, there will be less migration. In the interim, the problem is not only a domestic concern; it also requires cross-border and regional cooperation.
The border crisis. No one disagrees that security at the southern border must be tightened, or that the requirements for granting or denying an asylum request must be revised; or that the legal process on asylum requires streamlining; or that a realistic number of workers should be admitted based on market requirements; or that new immigrants must be permitted to work and to pay taxes.
Congress has known for decades that only a comprehensive immigration bill will change the law and allow all of the above revisions to happen. Recently, a working group of bipartisan senators drafted enabling legislation that President Biden agreed to sign. Trump nixed the deal by demanding that House Republicans not support it. Trump wants the border impasse to remain an open sore to attack Biden in the general election. Once again, Congress’ self-inflicted southern border crisis and humanitarian refugee catastrophe have become political pawns.
Why we need immigration. Lost in all the grim news and political posturing in Congress is the undisputed fact that managed immigration is essential to America’s economic progress. Immigrants fill labor shortages, contribute more in taxes than they receive in benefits, and open about 25% of new small businesses in the United States.
According to the Cato institute, a conservative think-tank, “Immigrants increase the supply of labor, which increases the supply of goods and services that people need; their consumption, entrepreneurship, and investment also increases the demand for labor, creating better‐paying jobs for Americans elsewhere in the economy. Fundamentally, immigrants are not competitors. They are collaborators. Unfortunately, America’s immigration system fails to recognize this fact, leading to catastrophic consequences.”
The United States has the ability to enrich its diversity and strengthen its economy. It is time to show immigration some love and understanding.
Gary Stout is a Washington attorney.