Immigration - Let's Change the Narrative

by Brian T. Lynch, MSW

IMMIGRATION - Immigration is largely an economic migration driven by huge wealth inequality. Start there if you want to understand it. 

Most people prefer to live in the country where they were born. The United States has a history of exploiting foreign countries and extracting their natural resources for domestic gain. Foreign economies start to falter as a result, and we (through the World Bank) lone them money until they can't afford the payments. The quality of life in those countries deteriorates to the point that people can't feed their families. The breadwinners migrate here to find work and send back money to feed their family. Or they bring their families here, breaking through whatever barriers stand in their way, because they love their family and don't want to see their children suffer. Understand this cycle and a whole different set of solutions to immigration become apparent. 

A whole new conversation emerges when the full cycle of immigration is understood. It is a problem we helped create as we pursue foreign policies that mostly benefit private corporate interests.