Xenophobic Hate Is Wrong For A Country Built By Immigrants

In this solstice season, many Americans celebrate it as a religious holiday. They celebrate the birth of a child to a migrant family. That makes it a particularly appropriate time to discuss immigration.

While celebrating the birth of a migrant family, many Americans are opposed to other migrants entering the country. That is strange, considering the United States is a nation built on immigration. Over 99% of the population are either descendants of immigrants or immigrants.

But instead of celebrating our diversity and immigration story, too many politicians today are trying to frighten citizens by demonizing those who now want to emigrate to this country -- and they are doing it for their own selfish purpose (to be elected or re-elected). And most of what they have to say about immigrants are vicious lies.

They want you to believe that we are experiencing a massive invasion of our borders. We are not. We are a nation of over 300 million people, and could easily absorb those who wish to come here.

They want you to believe the new immigrants are stealing jobs from Americans. Not true. We are near a full-employment economy, and many jobs remain unfilled. We need more immigrants to fill those jobs -- especially the dirty, dangerous, and low-wage jobs that Americans don't want.

They would tell you that immigration should be based on merit, and only those with education and skills should be admitted. That might make corporate America happy (because they could pay those immigrants less that skilled and educated American citizens). But it would not make sense for the citizens seeking those good jobs. We need the immigrants willing to take the jobs citizens don't want -- not the jobs citizens are seeking.

They want to you believe that immigrants are dangerous. While we should (and do) eliminate those who are dangerous criminals, but most immigrants are honest and hard workers who just want a free and better life for their families (just like our own ancestors).

They want you to think the immigrants are bringing drugs into this country. Also ridiculous! The drugs are coming in large shipments by rail, planes, boats, and trucks. These are far less likely to be stopped that immigrants and refugees that are searched as they apply for entry or likely to be caught if trying to enter illegally.

They want citizens to be afraid that the country is going to become non-white. It is, but not because of immigration. Most of the increase in non-white population comes from births in this country. And the nation has benefitted from diversity -- not been harmed by it. Fear of color is racist, and has no part in a nation built on immigration.

We do need to revise our immigration laws to make them fairer and to induce the immigration that is needed. Sadly, too many of our politicians would rather demonize immigrants than pass a sane immigration bill. Their use of xenophobic hate is actually hurting this country -- not helping it.