From: allin
The Scope of the Challenge
The speaker estimates that there are approximately 25 million illegal aliens in the United States [00:14:44]. The annual cost of supporting these individuals is estimated to range between 600 billion [00:13:50]. These costs arise from various benefits and fraudulent activities, including:
- Healthcare benefits [00:13:57]
- Section 8 housing (for their children) [00:14:01]
- Social Security fraud [00:14:04]
- Medicare fraud [00:14:05]
Focusing national interest on American citizens, those who deserve to be in the country, could lead to significant savings [00:14:10].
Historical Context and Policy Failures
The current broken state of immigration policy is attributed to historical decisions. Ronald Reagan’s 1986 amnesty program, for instance, aimed to address the issue of individuals already in the country and promote skilled immigration, but it ultimately granted amnesty without effectively closing the border [00:27:02]. This historical failure led to the current situation where the border was not secured despite the amnesty provided [00:27:15].
The speaker asserts that until the “real problem” of 25 million illegal aliens is fixed, it is impossible to address “minor” or “less important” immigration questions [00:26:48]. The priority must be to close the border and establish basic order [00:27:20].
Erosion of the Social Contract
The influx of millions of illegal immigrants is seen as breaking down the social compact in the United States [00:27:52]. While conservatives support aiding American citizens who are in need, such as those receiving unemployment or food assistance, this generosity cannot be extended to tens of millions of people who are not legally in the country [00:28:30].
The policies of figures like Kamala Harris at the border are criticized for being detrimental economically, harmful to public safety, and eroding the very foundation of the social contract [00:28:38]. This erosion is believed to contribute to political division, as the interests of illegal aliens are perceived to be placed above those of American citizens [00:29:00].
Motivations Behind Open Border Policies
The motivations for policies that lead to open borders are suggested to be multi-faceted:
- Endless Empathy/Guilt: A sense of guilt or excessive empathy that leads to a belief that controlling who enters the country is not permissible [00:29:42], [00:31:09].
- Economic Argument: The desire to lower wages, stimulate economic growth, and introduce new buyers into the economy [00:29:29]. For example, some large hotel chain CEOs have stated that strict immigration policies force them to pay American workers higher wages because they can no longer hire undocumented workers “under the table” [00:30:07].
- Political Gain: The intention to create a new Democratic voting majority by replacing older Americans who tend to vote Republican with new immigrants who are expected to vote Democratic [00:31:32].
Proposed Solutions and Strategy for Deportation
The primary solution proposed is to “stop the bleeding” by ending the policies that have opened the southern border [00:33:56]. This includes reversing Kamala Harris’s policies [00:33:58].
Regarding the deportation of millions of illegal aliens, the speaker outlines a multi-step approach:
- Prioritize Criminal Migrants: Begin by deporting the estimated one million “criminal migrants” who have committed violent crimes [00:33:45].
- Tax Remittances: Introduce legislation to tax remittances, which are funds sent back to countries of origin by undocumented workers. This is expected to encourage some individuals to return willingly [00:34:09].
- Disincentivize Illegal Labor: Make it more difficult for employers to hire illegal labor over American citizens [00:34:21].
This “sandwich approach” aims to tackle the issue one step at a time [00:34:27].
National Security Concerns
The nature of border crossings has shifted, with interdictions no longer primarily involving individuals from Central and South America. Instead, people are now arriving from countries such as Iran and other parts of Asia and Africa [00:35:05]. This raises significant national security concerns, especially regarding military-age males from Iran entering the country through the southern border [00:35:38]. Border Patrol agents have reported that individuals claim to be Mexican but do not speak Spanish, indicating false identities and origins [00:36:12]. This situation is attributed to the “massive gap in our national security” created by current policies [00:36:27].