I started noticing the change in Americans’ views on immigration in the early 2000s. Most people I talked to were not very upset about even illegal immigration. I saw the change in my students, who were primarily officers in the U.S. military. In any given class, the plurality of the students, and usually the majority, were in the U.S. Navy.
I picked it up in little ways, in side comments about whatever issue we were discussing. I didn’t have a segment of my class on immigration per se, but I did have some readings on U.S. labor markets and so it was only natural that the issue of immigration would come up in that context.
I have always believed that one should not hector students for their beliefs, that doing so violates a sacred trust. So I didn’t. But one day, towards the end of a quarter in which the students and I had got along particularly well, I felt comfortable in making a controversial statement that was not hectoring but was simply pointing out a reality.
I stated, “This is the most anti-immigrant class I’ve had in my almost 20 years of teaching here.”
One of the students jumped on it and said, “Anti illegal immigrants, sir.”
“Touche,” I replied. “I want to point out, though, that when people say that those who want to come to this country should do so legally, they are essentially saying, even if they don’t know it, that those people can’t come to this country.”
My impression was that a lot of the students didn’t know that. Many seemed to think that there was a straightforward process for people to immigrate. There isn’t. It’s not straightforward and even when some particular routes that are somewhat straightforward, most people don’t qualify.
I thought of all that when reading an excellent post by David Bier of the Cato Institute. It’s titled “What Trump Has Done and Imminently Plans to Do on Immigration,” Cato at Liberty, February 3, 2025. Take a look. David, along with Alex Nowrasteh, follows immigration closely and keeps up on the rules.
I thought of it further when reading that the Trump administration is trying even to strip away the green card of a permanent resident. Not just illegal immigration, but also legal immigration, is currently at risk.
