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The truth about immigration that the left chooses to ignore

Umito November 15, 2024

The Conservatives know that when the American left wants us to “have a conversation” about an issue, that means they can talk incessantly until we agree with them.

To the progressivesthere is one approved view on any given issue and all others are atavistic throwbacks to a time before “progress”.

Observe that humans (and all mammals) come in two sexes and you are a “transphobe”.

Suggest that it is unfair for men to compete with women in sports and dangerous for men to share prison cells with women, and that this is “hate speech.”

Let’s declare that America is on the verge equal opportunitiesnot equal results, and maintain deserved because of race and gender discrimination, and you are racist and misogynist.

Argue against mass illegal immigration, and you are xenophobic at best, racist at worst.

The Washington Post recently published an opinion piece by David Bier of the Cato Institute. Bier and I have appeared together on panel discussions several times, so I know his perspective.

Bier is a libertarian. He believes immigration should be limited only by supply and demand, not by government. Where there is a willing employer and employee, he argues, who are we to intervene? To support this view, Bier also claims that immigrants contribute significantly to the U.S. economy and commit fewer crimes.

My view – shaped by a career as an overseas diplomat in developing countries – is that global demand for the American lifestyle outstrips any possible supply, so we need digital and other limits. It is the prerogative of Congress to set these parameters in law. And it is the constitutional duty of the president to enforce these laws, not to ignore them or circumvent them by executive fiat.

Bier and I agree on some things; First, open borders cannot coexist for long with a welfare state that provides free health care, education, housing and income to every newcomer. Second, we agree that whatever the limits, criminal aliens should be excluded and deported.

Bier is not a leftist, but he agrees with them on immigration, so his argument is acceptable to the Washington Post. My point of view – opposing mass illegal immigration – never darkens the pages of the publication (it’s his choice, not mine).

If The Post really wanted to have a “conversation” instead of a weekly lecture to the echo chamber of its readership, I would make the following counterpoints.

First, the left often says that “studies show” that immigrants commit fewer crimes than natives. The main rebuttal here is that unlike crimes committed by Americans or legal residents, any crime committed by an illegal alien is preventable.

But there is also other research to show that in fact, illegal immigrants commit crimes at higher rates than legal immigrants or natives. When the left cites its figures, it talks about “immigrants” and deliberately lumps legal and illegal immigrants together when the real issue being addressed primarily concerns illegal immigrants. There is no evidence that illegal immigrants commit fewer crimes than those who reside legally in the United States. Research on the subject is limited by bias and poor data.

The City Journal recently reported that we are not simply imagining a wave of migrant crime with problems ranging from drug trafficking to shoplifting – linked to the Biden-era migrant wave – increasing even in the most remote areas of the country.

Secondly, as to whether immigration constitutes an economic benefit for the country, I would like to point out that illegal immigrants are overall less qualified than U.S.-born workers, with only 30% having some college education. Among American households headed by illegal immigrants, 59% use at least one welfare program. Over their lifetime, the average illegal immigrant receives about $68,000 more in benefits than they put in.

Daniel Di Martino of the Manhattan Institute estimates that the millions of illegal and paroled immigrants who entered under the Biden administration will cost taxpayers an estimated $1.15 trillion over their lifetimes. While young, educated immigrants reduce the U.S. budget deficit, “those without a college education and all those who immigrate to the United States after age 55 universally represent a net tax burden of up to 400 000 dollars” each over their lifetime.

Immigration of low-skilled workers reduced the wages of many U.S.-born workers. EJ Antoni, economist at the Heritage Foundation writing that between 4.9 million and 7.3 million employable Americans left the workforce during COVID-19 and did not return. Meanwhile, “all of the net job growth over the past year went to foreign-born workers” while “native-born Americans lost more than 900,000 jobs.”

George Borjas, Harvard economist wrote in 2016, that “decades of record immigration have produced lower wages and higher unemployment…particularly for African American and Latino workers.” He claims that “immigration turns out to be just another income redistribution program”, concluding that “the total redistribution of wealth from native losers (low-skilled employees) to native winners (employers and shareholders) ‘rises… to about half a trillion dollars. one year. »

These are just financial costs. I could also discuss the social costs for cities like CharleroiPennsylvania; Lock countryOhio; And LogansportIndiana, where schools, housing, police and other services faced a sudden influx of needy migrants thanks to federal policies in which these communities had no say.

But The Post, like other legacy newspapers losing market share and the trust of the American people, doesn’t really want to have a “conversation” about it. His mind compound.

Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos chose not to support Kamala Harris for president in the recent election, much to the outrage of almost his entire team and about 250,000 subscribers who canceled their subscriptions.

I canceled my print copy a long time ago, but may reissue it if the newspaper makes an effort to restore balance to its coverage. Bezos would have been exhorted to hire a few conservative opinion writers to add perspective. Other left-leaning media outlets are also looking to add actual conservatives to help their readers and viewers understand what more than half the country thinks.

So Jeff, sign me up. I promise to speak 800 words a week for half of what you pay, token conservative Jennifer Rubin, to reliably flatter Joe Biden. and HarrisAnd vilify Donald Trump. I’m going to go down to the bunker where we conservatives live, chat with the rest of the “garbage“Gang while we eat My Patriot Supply emergency preparedness meals and drink Black Rifle coffee, then tell your readers what.”deplorable“Think about the problems.

But I fear the traditional media ship has sailed. Abandoned by conservatives, these media are now losing leftists because they are not far left enough. Anyone who had studied the Chinese, French or Russian revolutions could have told them that this day would come. Too bad for them, they didn’t have the slightest idea.

The border is a weekly Daily Signal feature examining everything from unprecedented events illegal immigration crisis at the border to the impact of immigration on cities and states across the country. We will also highlight other critical border issues, such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism, and more.