America is a country made of the world
We should have our own conversation from first principles: This is an extraordinary country. It’s extraordinary for many reasons. Among the reasons it is extraordinary: it is a country built of the world, from the world, from every part of the world.
US Immigrant policy from colonial period to present day Read the whole thing
During the Antebellum Period, immigrants were mainly German, Irish, English, Canadian, and French. These immigrants had different cultures and religions, particularly the German craftworkers and Irish Catholics, both of which created political backlash and prompted the emergence of nativist political parties in the United States.42 Beyond these issues, nativists also worried about wage competition, immigrants’ use of outdoor relief (welfare consumed outside of institutions) and other welfare programs, and the religious dichotomy between the new Catholic immigrants and the native‐born Americans, who were primarily Protestant.43 Moreover, nativists were also concerned that Catholic immigrants would oppose slavery.
Immigrants Put America First: In Coming Here, They Affirm Our Values
..even though nearly all Americans are descendants of immigrants, we have often had a tempestuous relationship with newcomers. Whether because of nationalist sentiment, xenophobia, or simply fear of change, our country has at times enacted policies that have run contrary to American ideals. The Chinese Exclusion Act, the 1924 Immigration Act, or quota-based laws restricting immigration from certain parts of the world, are just a few examples of reactionary policies that gained wide support in the past.
Today we are living through a resurgence of these sentiments. At a time of rapid change driven by technology, globalization, and demographics, there are many Americans who are directing their fears toward immigrants, believing that they are changing the culture and values of the United States. We have seen how these fears translate into harmful policies: our politicians are promising to wall off our borders and threatening to deport undocumented immigrants who had been granted protection because they arrived in the United States as children.
While each successive wave of immigration adds to the unique blend of cultures that define the United States of America, it is wrong to believe that immigrants pose any threat to American values. The truth is that today’s immigrants, just like our forefathers, arrive here seeking the ability to freely worship, to express themselves without fear of government retribution, and to chart their own economic destiny.
These immigrants, for whom the reality of oppression or lack of freedom is a not so distant memory, come not to undermine our values, but to embrace them. What better reaffirmation exists for the strength of our values than the validation we receive daily from people seeking to immigrate here?
Keep in mind that the Republican party does not want to pass immigration reform for political reasons, otherwise otherwise they would have held a vote on the Senate bill. Trump told them not to even consider the bill and bragged about it. Therefore, one cannot take his histrionics seriously as someone who did believe there was an emergency and actually wanted to protect the American public. Plus, even a a judge ruled the other day, we are not under invasion from migrators, somebody just wants to use that term to scare you, but it’s misleading.
Trump’s claims of a migrant crime wave are not supported by national data
WASHINGTON — When Donald Trump speaks at the southern border in Texas on Thursday, you can expect to hear him talk about “migrant crime,” a category he has coined and defined as a terrifying binge of criminal activity committed by undocumented immigrants spreading across the country.
“You know, in New York, what’s happening with crime is it’s through the roof, and it’s called ‘migrant,’” the former president said at a rally in Michigan earlier this month. “They beat up police officers. You’ve seen that they go in, they stab people, hurt people, shoot people. It’s a whole new form, and they have gangs now that are making our gangs look like small potatoes.”
Trump has undoubtedly tapped into the rising anger over crimes allegedly committed by undocumented migrants that have gained national attention — most recently, the killing of college student Laken Riley in Georgia last week, after which an undocumented migrant from Venezuela was arrested and charged with her murder, and the much-reported fight between New York police officers and a group of migrant teens.
According to a recent Pew poll, 57% of Americans said that a large number of migrants seeking to enter the country leads to more crime. Republicans (85%) overwhelmingly say the migrant surge leads to increased crime in the U.S. A far smaller share of Democrats (31%) say the same. The poll found that 63% of Democrats say it does not have much of an impact.
But despite the former president’s campaign rhetoric, expert analysis and available data from major-city police departments show that despite several horrifying high-profile incidents, there is no evidence of a migrant-driven crime wave in the United States.
Trump’s immigration policies are his old ones — but worse
President Biden’s visit to Brownsville yesterday
Trump and Republicans have overplayed their hand by spiking, at Trump’s request, a bipartisan border-security and foreign-aid package negotiated in the Senate last month. It goes to show, Democrats argue: Republicans are less interested in actually addressing the border crisis than they are in preserving it to run on in November.
“Instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me,” Biden said from Brownsville, addressing Trump rhetorically. “You know and I know it’s the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen. Instead of playing politics with the issue, why don’t we just get together and get it done.”
