Responding to the Fear of a “Flood” of Immigration under the New Immigration Bill

Doom and gloom predictions that immigration will bring about the demise of U.S. culture and society are as old as the United States itself. For instance, Benjamin Franklin famously warned that German immigrants to the United States “are usually the most stupid of their nation” and that, unless they were turned away, “they will soon outnumber us so that we will not be able to save our language or our government.” Although these sorts of predictions invariably have proven to be unfounded, opponents of immigration still find it politically expedient to advance their cause by suggesting that native-born Americans soon will become strangers in their own land in the face of mass immigration. This sort of fear mongering was on prominent display over the past two weeks as the Senate debated the fate of S. 2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. With passage of the bill by the Senate and the contentious conference with the House of Representatives that is sure to follow, political scare tactics likely will continue to cloud the debate.   For the American Immigration Law Foundation’s response, click here.

KJ