Immigration Fallacy #1: Immigrants are dangerous (Part 1)
Immigrants are not dangerous, in any general sense.
An argument for stricter immigration policy invariably depends on the explicit statement that the immigrants in question are dangerous. They may be depicted as criminals, terrorists, invaders, or simply uncouth. And the statement is wrong. It is not that immigrants are categorically un-dangerous, because any human could be dangerous. But generally speaking, immigrants do not present any significant danger or threat, just like most random people you pass on the road or sidewalk are not dangerous.
One objection, of course, is that some immigrants actually are dangerous. Terrorists, drug traffickers, gang members, felons, and human traffickers present a threat wherever they are. But it is illegitimate to argue for stricter immigration controls based on those highly specific categories. It is illegitimate, first, because those groups already exist everywhere, whether they come as immigrants or not. (It is highly significant that the vast majority of terrorist attacks and mass shootings on U.S. territory since 9/11 have been perpetrated by U.S. citizens.) It is illegitimate, second, because some of those people are regular border-crossers anyway, essentially uninhibited by the absence or presence of visa requirements, border fences, radars, or military patrols. (If you want to scare cartel members, don't build a fence -- force a drop in heroin prices!) These very serious crimes have to be dealt with, but immigration law is not the domain for doing so.
One very simple reason demonstrates why immigrants, beyond those rather exceptional categories, do not pose any real danger. That reason is the primary raison d’être for immigration in the first place: economic/social opportunity/security. Immigrants of any social class almost always migrate for socioeconomic reasons. Therefore, if they are primarily looking for work, education, family, or safety (in short, a better life), then they clearly pose no real threat.
In the next post, I will analyze not only how immigrants are not really dangerous but also how they do not pose any real physical, economic, or social threat...
An argument for stricter immigration policy invariably depends on the explicit statement that the immigrants in question are dangerous. They may be depicted as criminals, terrorists, invaders, or simply uncouth. And the statement is wrong. It is not that immigrants are categorically un-dangerous, because any human could be dangerous. But generally speaking, immigrants do not present any significant danger or threat, just like most random people you pass on the road or sidewalk are not dangerous.
One objection, of course, is that some immigrants actually are dangerous. Terrorists, drug traffickers, gang members, felons, and human traffickers present a threat wherever they are. But it is illegitimate to argue for stricter immigration controls based on those highly specific categories. It is illegitimate, first, because those groups already exist everywhere, whether they come as immigrants or not. (It is highly significant that the vast majority of terrorist attacks and mass shootings on U.S. territory since 9/11 have been perpetrated by U.S. citizens.) It is illegitimate, second, because some of those people are regular border-crossers anyway, essentially uninhibited by the absence or presence of visa requirements, border fences, radars, or military patrols. (If you want to scare cartel members, don't build a fence -- force a drop in heroin prices!) These very serious crimes have to be dealt with, but immigration law is not the domain for doing so.
One very simple reason demonstrates why immigrants, beyond those rather exceptional categories, do not pose any real danger. That reason is the primary raison d’être for immigration in the first place: economic/social opportunity/security. Immigrants of any social class almost always migrate for socioeconomic reasons. Therefore, if they are primarily looking for work, education, family, or safety (in short, a better life), then they clearly pose no real threat.
In the next post, I will analyze not only how immigrants are not really dangerous but also how they do not pose any real physical, economic, or social threat...
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