The Immigration Law Nobody's Heard of That Changed America

Is COVID-19 bringing the mythology of America as a nation of immigrants to an end? Q&A with The New York Times' Jia Lynn Yang on her new book, One Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle Over American Immigration, 1924-1965.
Full text and links: reason.com/video/the-immigration-law-nobodys-heard-of-that-changed-america
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What will the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown of our society mean for the hundreds of thousands of foreign workers, refugees, and asylum seekers who apply annually to become Americans? Donald Trump won the presidential election in 2016 in part by vowing to "build a wall," deport all unauthorized residents, and massively reduce the number of people welcomed here legally.
COVID-19, which has its origins in Wuhan, China, may help the president to deliver fully on his campaign promises. Is the mythology of America as a nation of immigrants coming to an end?
A deputy national editor at The New York Times, Jia Lynn Yang is the author of the timely new book, One Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle Over American Immigration, 1924-1965. The book begins at another dark moment in American immigration policy when a restrictive law ended a long period of relatively open borders and effectively stopped mass movement to the United States for the next 40 years. It tells the story of the decadeslong battle that led the U.S. to begin accepting foreigners once again. And yet almost nobody involved in that fight foresaw the extent to which the 1965 law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson would open the door once again to large numbers of new immigrants-including Yang's family, who came here from Taiwan in the 1970s.
Nick Gillespie sat down with Yang in early March and again in May to discuss what her book and personal story can teach us about immigration policy in the midst of a pandemic.
Edited by John Osterhoudt, intro and bridge by Lex Villena
Photos: Immigrants arriving, Everett Collection/Newscom; Wall Photo, ID 152963524 © Alexanderphoto7/Dreamstime.com; Trump speaking, Stefani Reynolds/CNP/AdMedia/Newscom; Johnson signing, LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okam/Yoichi Okam - LBJ Library via CNP/Newscom

[@AIM-od9nr]

Politicians cynically push immigration from states with big government cultures to vote for their agenda, which is to increase their power and create a dependent and socialistic society. If we wish to preserve our freedoms, we need to be intelligent with our immigration policy.

[@moriahjmiller]

AIM Can you provide evidence for your statement “politicians cynically push immigration from states with big government cultures to vote for their agenda”?

[@Halfy06]

Exactly. Both parties push for major flows of immigration for different reasons. Democrats want the votes and Republicans want the cheap labor.

[@kenlandon6130]

@@moriahjmiller There is none.

[@blakejameson1114]

I'm 14 minutes in and nobody has mentioned the Social Welfare State or the hyper in group preferences of immigrant classes (legal and illegal). This is disappointing Reason. I give you a downvote.

[@ea2631]

yeah, reason is propaganda for libertarians who are scared of leftists

[@skylanh4319]

@@ea2631 what??? That is complete crap. Reason is on the side of the left when it comes to illegal immigration. Reason is pro open border and never wants to address the fact this would be disastrous if you don't end the welfare state first. Reason also sided with the left when it came to gay marriage. Where the real libertarians position was government shouldn't be involved in marriage, gay or straight. There are lots of other places where reason sided with the left even against their own doctrine. The only cases that I can think of where reason sides closer to the right is on education and free markets. Which both directly align with libertarian principles.

[@ea2631]

@@skylanh4319 it doesn't make any sense because you can't read

[@skylanh4319]

@@ea2631 read what?

[@syrellgrier4571]

@@skylanh4319 I just watched a video that said illegal aliens haven't been able to receive welfare since 1996. I didn't look further into it but I was confused bc I still hear a lot of libertarians making that argument... Like I said though, I'm no sure of the validity

[@christianbolt5761]

People always focus mainly on the economic aspects of immigration. Integration challenges due to cultural, religious issues are just as important. Mass immigration leads to wage depression.

[@tenetgg]

Libertarian philosophy has room for Culture and Collective-property, especially in the context of a Welfare-Regulated State. It's a shame Reason does not get these reasons.

[@CaptainBones222]

Religion is not important, every country should be atheist

[@DivinesLegacy]

It doesn’t lead to wage depression. What a odd take. In some scenarios it may lead to wage suppression, But it a very niche and only effects like 0.1% of Americans. It’s overall a net benefit and it has always been until brown people started coming for some reason.

[@Stevarooni]

What was the Welfare situation like, from the Revolution to the 1880s?

[@dinamarcus3694]

You were free to work for your own welfare.

[@peachykeen7634]

@@dinamarcus3694 preach all day.

[@Stevarooni]

@@Vault-Born in many ways, no. In other ways, yes.

[@nonmagicmike723]

Mainly privately-funded and limited to co-ethnics.

[@whitepanties2751]

In reply to Stevarooni, 'What was the Welfare situation like from the Revolution to the 1880s?' I recommend Marvin Olasky's book 'The Tragedy of American Compassion' on this subject. The main answer is that there were many local charities providing help to the poor. Most people lived in relatively small communities, so those providing the charity tended to know the recipients and to be in a position to notice if they used the money they received responsibly to feed their families, and were doing what they could to find work, or whether they were lounging around spending the money on drink and gambling. If the latter then the charity tended to stop for them. This may sometimes have worked harshly, as prim and proper upper middle class Church goers penalised those whose only crime was to have an unconventional life style. However, it also meant that there was a stronger incentive for the poor to help themselves and be sober and hardworking than today, when government officials administering welfare benefits usually do not see how the recipients spend them.

[@jeffersonianideal]

Considering the current problems facing the U.S., where does immigration/open borders rank on the list of America's top economic, and social priorities?

[@realjrq]

jeffersonianideal - I would say top 5. Maybe top 3.

[@_e1i]

Number 1. It’s the issue that affects all other issues. We’re importing millions of third-world people, who are supplanting the native population (look at relative birth rates and demographic projections 20- 50 years out) and remaking our country in the image of their own homelands. Why did California go blue? And Virginia? What’s happening in Texas? Nevada? And so on.

[@jakerslake]

Number 1 dude

[@NwoDispatcher]

@Jack McCabe fuck the treacherous us. I'm building racial bureaucracies for the white race

[@mitchellsheppard2998]

@Jack McCabe last republican president when their trying to put crazies in office like Hillary and now Biden

[@royalwins2030]

Is Reason trying to say that no subversive elements came in with immigration? I think, looking at modern America, that would be hard to argue.

[@HateTheIRS]

Royal Wins subversive? As in people that only come here for the benefits, who really hate this country?

[@royalwins2030]

@@HateTheIRS and radicals and Communists.

[@homewall744]

Subversive elements are born here, too.

[@royalwins2030]

@@homewall744 true as well

[@sburn1919]

No they aren’t trying to say that

[@kucanusa3750]

There is an order of operations if you want open immigration and a stable society. 1) cease all social spending at state and federal level. 2) Reinstate the Homestead act, while also making available all federal and state land, with a 10 acre limit for immigrants and a 50 acre limit for citizens. 3) remove all minimum wage laws, and trim regulation down to only that needed to protect the commons, and maintain security. 4) Medical and criminal backgrounds must be presented and verifiable on entry. 5) All immigrants must post a $10k bond on application, to be returned on citizenship, be under 30, unmarried, and without disability.

[@tenetgg]

@@danielsmith4715-d2k It's probably the most important one - poor people over 30 are likely to become a burden, and are 10-12 years behind on investment in the local economy. Lack of welfare does not deter begging.

[@tenetgg]

@@danielsmith4715-d2k I entirely agree, in a perfect world where every society is individualist and libertarian, open borders are the only ethical position. beinglibertarian.com/immigration-and-closed-borders/

[@Beefster09]

Hey look! An actual libertarian in the comments.

[@kucanusa3750]

@@danielsmith4715-d2k 1) If municipalities want to have social spending that is up to them the spending can continue but it limits the damage of any one social spending plan to just that town. 2) Depending on type of agriculture or herding, would determine the land needed but 10 acres has historically been the minimum size for an economically viable farm. 3)Glad we agree. 4)Why not just refuse entry for the criminal and infirm and avoid taking in the worst the world has to offer. 5)$10K puts a reasonable price of admission and an extra incentive to work for citizenship, being under 30 means you still haven't hit your peak earning years, and the best way to assimilate immigrants is for them to marry into the local population.

[@Azknowledgethirsty]

Why the age limit? I even understand the 10k price but why age? Surgeons in their 40s would be turned off? I understand the idea that you at least have to make an effort and put down some money but who are you to decide what age you must be? You don't choose your race, your origin nor your age, if you're a real libertarian you'd understand it is an statist thing to ban a certain age group

[@eman198]

Bro why is reason pushing pro mass immigration propaganda? Why didn’t the interviewer bring up the fact mass immigration lowers the cost of labor and drives down wages?

[@Pbofficial743]

I have an Economics degree, and that's just stupid!

[@eman198]

Throw your degree in the trash then

[@moriahjmiller]

Reason is a libertarian publication...what is libertarian about limiting immigration?

[@Clockwork0nions]

@@Pbofficial743 you must have failed 101 then. More supply = less each unit of anything is worth.

[@coolbeans6148]

@@moriahjmiller importing socialist, welfare leeches, and violent criminals is NOT libertarian, it's the opposite. Race is irrelevant.

[@tenetgg]

Why do you keep bringing on Big-Government / Keynesian advocates - without having them opposed and questioned? Why do you platform an identitarian without having an individualist respond in the same video? Are Open Borders so critical we must abandon the ideals of NAP and Freedom? When the State forces association and forces charity, the Citizens get to decide who enters this societal agreement. When we have a tiny government and our freedoms back, we can consider an open borders policy. This article, despite its bias, lists all the positions that organizations like Reason ignore: beinglibertarian.com/immigration-and-closed-borders/

[@realjrq]

tenetgg - Libertarians believe in open borders. It’s in the platform on the website.

[@santosvazquez8829]

Libertarian philosophy believes that closing borders inherently violates the NAP

[@realjrq]

Santos Vázquez - Which is dumb. Our country not allowing people who believe in big government policies to immigrate to our country is not aggression. It’s protection.

[@blakejameson1114]

@@realjrq open borders AFTER the disintegration of the welfare state. Come proper or STFU.

[@realjrq]

Blake Barber - Open borders with or without a welfare state is still dumb. Libertarians still believe in open borders. The Koch Brothers hiring illegal aliens is kinda proof of that.

[@RoseThistleArtworks]

America has among the kindest immigration policies when compared to other nations. Mexico's immigration policies are really hard core compared to America.

[@coolbeans6148]

Too kind

[@PrivateSi]

America's immigration policy is way stricter than the UK's.. Both UK parties have enacted genocidal laws since English Natives help save the world against Hitler.. English White Males are the New Jews to the Neo Left and snobby Tory Libs.. Mohammad is the most common name overall and reached number one boys name this year, a position it will never lose now, due to Islamist tradition. -- Patel (Hindu)l is the most common surname in London and many other large conurbations. English natives have gone from making up 99% of the population near enough after the war to less than 50%... Whites only just make up 50% of the population due to 5 million white, mainly Poles and Romanians + 1.5 million non-white EU citizens emigrating here.. Boris Johnski has given them all free automatic citizenship. Helps balance out the religious extremists, but many are ex-commies and barely literate gypsies. -- English Natives (3 generations of English ancestry, is my very Liberal definition) were being out-bred 2-to-1, now it's 3-to-1.. This is nothing directly to do with race, it's to do with sheer numbers and a CULTURE WAR... The Left say 'but most are moderates' (hardly moderate immigration policy though), yet these 'moderates' of Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism all practice forced conversion and huge dowry to marry into the family, plus forced, arranged marriage.. -- Most are racist towards black Africans, but also English Natives who've land they've colonised. Muslim, Hindu & Sikh men with be the 1st class citizens, fighting amongst themselves, their women will be 2nd class citizens, the rest of us will be 3rd class or worse under their Neo Caste System..Y'all be dealin' wit Englandiastan in 20 to 30 years, all projections show, With Islamists, Hindus and Sikhs set to win the Culture War between them... They will not be Liberalised, they will take over England, guaranteed. Only catastrophe or revolution can stop this. Revolution is very unlikely and catastrophes don't target specific cultures, but could trigger a nationalist uprising.

[@TheAaronChand]

@@PrivateSi didn't the English take over the lands of Hindus Sikhs And Indian Muslims remember the Brtish Empire held India as a Brtish colony from 1757 to 1947. And after leaving they divided the country into 3 parts Pakistan and Bangladesh and Burma. What about Ireland invaded and ruled by England from 1536 to 1691. Finally Ireland got its independence in the 20th century.in 1922 after the Irish War of independence against the Brtish Empire. Which lasted from 1919 to 1921. Which much like India Ireland was divided Into 2 different countries The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland which remains part of the UK today. And its tensions that lasted into the 1960s and finally ended in April of 1998 known as the Troubles. Don't forget African countries such as Kenya Caribbean Islands such as Jamaica and Barbados or Hon Kong. In China. Singapore. Australia Canada America that where settler colonies. Blame the Brtish Empire.

[@eddieibarra356]

Canada, Australia, and even progressive New Zealand is very strict and hardcore.

[@KevinSmith-qi5yn]

Hockey stick graphs are so deceptive. Graph as a percent of population, you will see a completely different graph with an obvious dip during the Great Depression. Trump's proposed immigration reform would actually increase legal immigration, but focus more on people who have jobs.

[@Rayxchui716]

You lost me when you pull the race card at the supermarket

[@hs5312]

Repeal the hart cellar act

[@margueritezoe]

@@NwoDispatcher: Great. Radical extremism is being normalized on the entire Left with "Let everybody in to destroy American culture and national sovereignty, or you're a Nazi" ... while on the tinfoil hat ALT-Right are *_actual_* Nazis, apparently with neon swastikas now. Is there anybody sane, sober, and NORMAL out there anymore?

[@NwoDispatcher]

@@margueritezoe do you feel like you're in danger because I am pro white?

[@rubyhoney6177]

MOST AMERICANS DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT THE AXT IS

[@l01l01l01l01l01l]

They’re not happy in Gaza.. They’re not happy in Egypt.. They’re not happy in Libya.. They’re not happy in morocco.. They’re not happy in Iran.. They’re not happy in Iraq.. They’re not happy in Yemen.. They’re not happy in Afghanistan.. They’re not happy in Pakistan.. They’re not happy in Kyrgyzstan.. They’re not happy in Syria.. They’re not happy in Turkey.. They’re not happy in Lebanon.. They’re happy in Australia.. You’re happy in Canada.. They’re happy in England.. They’re happy in France.. They’re happy in Italy.. They’re happy in Sweden.. They’re happy in Finland.. They’re happy in Germany.. They’re happy in Spain.. They’re happy in Norway.. They’re happy in the USA.. And in conclusion..... They are happy in a country that is not Muslim and not when is. And who do they blame? Not Islam. Not their leadership. Not themselves. They blame the countries they are happy in. AND THEN-They want to change those countries to be like The countries they came from that originally made them unhappy.

[@Josh-vg2lj]

@@NwoDispatcher Wow. Dreadful person I guess.

[@chrisconing8275]

Everything is raaaaaacist!

[@sammyhagger12]

"Big companies are always saying 'open up the borders' because they want cheap labor at all times" - oh, well in that case, let em all right in! Grow the labor pool and drive down that pesky income growth!

[@Josh-vg2lj]

You lost me at "we needed Keynesian stimulus" Stay in your lane

[@spec24]

yeah... like a hole in the head

[@Josh-vg2lj]

@@spec24 Damn right

[@grandmaster-grouch]

i dont even know what that is but i feel like there someone is a little polarized.

[@skenzyme81]

Three-quarters of the students in my neighborhood school still don’t know English. That fraction rises each year. Thanks LBJ.

[@trajectoryunown]

So teach them.

[@skenzyme81]

LOL, good one.

[@nolin132]

That's 75% of your school that will be fluent in English by the time they're adults. Fantastic work by all metrics

[@TheAaronChand]

Who cares can't you handle different languages we live in a global more connected world diversity of languages helps in this type of global economy. Your not living in the 18th 19th 20th centuries.

[@patrickday4206]

@@trajectoryunown that's the truth we have to accept some responsibility as people we always wait for government to fix things which they never do!

[@ea2631]

I am amazed by how little Reason gets correct. Whether it be their understanding of McCarthy, the history of intelligence research, and probably most importantly in this case from a libertarian perspective, voting patterns of immigrant communities. You don't even need to say the restrictionists are correct, I think they are, but you should at least make an attempt at refuting some arguments.

[@royalwins2030]

Im glad to see you mention McCarthy. His reputation has been destroyed by the intelligencia. He was actually on to something back in the day.

[@ea2631]

@@royalwins2030 yeah, with the colapse of the Union and released documents it shows McCarthy was correct

[@royalwins2030]

@@ea2631 you read any Diana West or Stanton Evans books? Communist subversives in the US Govt and the smearing of McCarthy.

[@thenewmayorofcrazytown7392]

E _ why was McCarthy correct? Any educated person knows that the is was riddled with soviet spies in very high places. HUAC did an ok job at rooting them out and mitrokin and Verona prove they were just paranoids fearing “reds under the beds”. What does this have to do with mccarthys later and evolving claims?

[@royalwins2030]

@@ChaosSwissroIl true

[@rambysophistry1220]

I just want to say, I am entirely in favor of reducing immigration massively for the benefit of the American working class. I don't care if it takes a pandemic to achieve that goal, though I would prefer if we could have achieved it without that.

[@Pandaemoni]

Prior to the coronavirus, unemployment was at an historically low level, so it's the health crisis rather than immigration that is the current problem for workers. That said, there wouldn't be immigration threatening the working class if the American workers could do the same work as cost effectively. Given studies in the past two decades that show that minimum wage laws haven't been causing unemployment, you have to wonder where the resistance comes from. Are their jobs that American workers just can't or refuse to do? Whatever the cause, if market pressure is leading to immigrants taking American workers jobs, we should consider removing whatever impediments that make Americans inferior to foreign workers. (I'm tempted to quote Doug Stanhope, who said, in effect, that if some impoverished, unskilled immigrant who doesn't speak English can "take" a job away from him, he'd be embarassed.)

[@23wtb]

@@Pandaemoni Employment, career, is a person's course of life through time. A person is expected to start low, in a low-skill, low-education, more easily-replaceable job, for low pay. An ambitious citizen, through diligence, self-improvement, taking advantage of opportunity, and making ones' self needed, can advance in this way. If you fill the low-tier jobs with bodies who compete more "cost effectively" because they don't have the same on-the-grid expenses as a native, you deny those entry opportunities. Like time value of money, losing opportunity at the low end has a compound effect over time. The elites don't suffer--they don't need entry-level work, they can skip that and go straight from education to cushy employment. Allowing non-natives to glut the job market at the low tier promotes class division and inhibits class mobility in this way.

[@AIM-od9nr]

@@Pandaemoni It's always argued that Americans are too lazy to do the work that immigrants do. Americans used to do that work (many still do) but what you neglect to consider is that immigrants (many illegal) work in the US but send money to their family living south of the border where the dollar goes so much further than it does here. For example, you can rent an apartment in Tijuana for 300 dollars, spend maybe 50 dollars a month or less on food and live a decent life with your US job while living in Mexico. 10 dollars an hour for them is not the same as for a US-born citizen. You may argue that poor Americans should leave their country and live in Mexico, but they shouldn't have to do that. A country should prioritize its citizens.

[@rambysophistry1220]

@@Pandaemoni There are three things here. The first is that, no immigration is problem for low income, American workers. This is true at a logical level and is backed up by empirical data from the UK. The logical connection is this: Labor is a good, and as supply of a good increases the price for that good decreases. Since immigration increases the low wage labor supply, then immigration lowers the wages for labor workers in that market. QED. The second thing is that nations have obligations to their nationals. We form governments for our own interest, to get out of the state of nature and increase our own expected value of life in the process. This means that things that impinge on our quality of life can now be managed, by the mandate of a government which we have empowered to do that task. Since lowering the wages of the lowest wage earners hurts our nation, it behooves us to prevent that from happening. This means restricting immigration and preferably also setting up tariffs on goods that can be made in the United States. This increases our domestic production, employs Americans, and makes all Americans better off in the process; because, we should care about the outcome of our fellow citizens. The third thing is this: If immigration is taking jobs from American workers, it is time to shut the border. We have the laws we do for multiple reasons, and a preference for our own workers means that if businesses are trying to get around those than it is time to shut those loopholes. Immigration is one of them, importation is gonna be another in a few years. The smart things for companies to do would be to understand that nationalism is back, and the global market is the enemy of this new found nationalism, and it would be best to be on the winning side of that exchange by taking the hit now, and not have to deal with the consequences of not being useful for the American public.

[@TheAaronChand]

@@rambysophistry1220 nationalists fail to understand that the world has moved on. You can't cut yourself off the rest of the world economy and expect life to return to how it was in previous generations. Things change.

[@JodyBruchon]

Is 1791L doing your editing?

[@coolbeans6148]

Yes

[@Alaninbroomfield]

I heard of it YEARS ago, and it needs to be repealed. Don't turn America into India or China or Mexico, for the love of God.

[@skenzyme81]

If corporate libertarians like this somehow gained legislative control, they’d lose it in one term by importing the least libertarian voters they could find. #DesignedToFail

[@georgecataloni4720]

Nick dismissed this argument by saying "people are trying to flee communism", but we don't know that. Many people are just fleeing the effects of communism (poverty) without knowing communism caused it. Economic policy isn't like xenophobic or homophobic laws, economics is complicated; the effects are not obvious to everyone.

[@georgecataloni4720]

@@danielsmith4715-d2k You can kiss that first amendment goodbye, if enough people in the US wanted it gone. Democracy is flawed, and open borders is how it fails.

[@georgecataloni4720]

@@danielsmith4715-d2k Depends where they're from. If China wanted send part of their larger population to America in order to tip the scales, they could do pretty much anything. Whether they use Chinese patriots or coerced people is their choice, but they could make them vote for anything, and we'd have to respond or lose all our liberties. This is why I'm an anarchist: democracy is flawed. Your first comment was absolutely right, but not in a democracy.

[@georgecataloni4720]

​@@danielsmith4715-d2k I don't care if we're better than China. What I proposed was a theoretical possibility that future people may deal with. China doesn't have to send enough people to dominate our votes, they only need to send enough to tip the scales. They may not be doing it now, but they are sending people to undermine the US and other countries in other ways, like taking advantage of academic programs to undermine IP laws. This stuff is breaking news, so expect more as Trump's administration investigates. Chinese immigrant voting is not the real concern today, though. It's people from poor countries, mostly south of the US, that are only looking for economic prosperity. They aren't anti-communist, nor is their government puppeting them. However, our government is: democrats use them for votes. And don't even tell me that Republicans and Libertarians should do the same, because it's scummy. They're lying, which is a lot easier to spread than the truth of certain topics, like economics. This is why nobody should vote.

[@georgecataloni4720]

@@danielsmith4715-d2k I never said genocide. We're talking about border restrictions. That's all. You also ignored the fact I said China *_isn't_* currently doing what I mentioned. It's a theoretical possibility. You even quoted me on that. It's important to get ahead of possible problems before they occur, don't you think? You also ignored my arguments for ongoing problems with immigration (and I didn't even mention the ones Europe is going through). You're arguing against some strawman you've devised in your head, likely to protect your sense of moral superiority. I told you I'm an anarchist. The only borders that I think are moral are private property borders. However, democracy penetrates those borders, and there's nothing we can do about that. Nobody is joining us in tearing down democracy, including many Libertarians. We need an imperfectly moral pragmatic plan, because we're not living among enough perfect people (most people are statist).

[@michaellowe3665]

"Poured forth in an empty land", and drove out the people that were already there.

[@peachykeen7634]

To be fair, everyone had issues. The settlers tried to make peace and were slaughtered in some places... then the settlers got caught up in the grudge matches between neighboring tribes, not knowing the histories of the tribes. And it's not like the tribes were driving out each other or anything, pfffft.

[@CharlesLumia]

Immigration levels have never been as high as they have been since the '65 immigration act. Wages have been stagnant for average folks for 50 years. The cost of living has skyrocketed. Try buying a house in Los Angeles. Education costs are the or one of the highest non-housing costs for folks as every looks to education to better their economic position. Ridiculous immigration levels are the problem. It has totally transformed the country in terms of rich vs. poor.

[@CharlesLumia]

Yeah buddy. It's been terrible in every way. There's nothing positive about mass immigration. Average folks lose here and abroad.

[@nonmagicmike723]

@@antinimperio6810 The underclass is mainly made of our slave-descended blacks. Immigrants tend to work. Heavy taxation is a separate, government-made problem. And it's going to get heavier if the population continues to get older to fund old-age entitlements. Finally, wages have risen at about the rate of inflation.

[@guyfromostrava]

It's easy. When you have an empty country, you want people coming in. Once it's not empty anymore, you don't, you choose who comes in and who doesn't.

[@SharifMatar]

"prone to criminality" "well that ones true" lol

[@patrickday4206]

Yeah dam irish always getting drunk raising he'll lol

[@spec24]

I love the idea that unrestricted immigration has not been harmful to the US as we now live in a country that is on the verge of Socialism and the govt has systematically removed our rights for our own good. Yeah, Reason, what could go wrong with importing foreigners whose beliefs are not grounded in freedom and liberty. ...by the way, economically speaking I am all for unrestricted immigration. The problem is is that there is more at stake than simply economics. You cannot change the culture from one where people believe in freedom and liberty to one that believes that the state is the answer to all problems and act like this is not a problem. Reason never seems to take this into consideration. And "polls" about what one group believes or doesn't believe is meaningless. How they vote is what matters.

[@hunkmarvel8925]

I gave you a thumbs up, but I think economically that unrestricted immigration is bad for the working class. it drives down wages. We need a family wage so Daddy can earn enough to support a family, and Mommy can stay home and raise the kids, including home schooling. i'm fed up with wealthy globalists wanting open borders and cheap labor. The republicans are so stupid to let all these decades go by and not stop immigration. They haven't comfortably won the presidency since 1988! Can't they see what's about to happen? White non Hispanics are only 59% in America. Soon, the republicans will never be able to take the White House. They are just rich douchebags collecting a paycheck.

[@TheAaronChand]

What bullshit liberty are you defending being white having no universal health care no Abortions denying history thinking white people are somehow special and every one non white is automatically inferior. Seems like your liberty is over rated and sucks.

[@TheAaronChand]

What kind of backwards drunkard caveman. What's the man to work and wife to stay with the kids at home. You don't belive people should have freedom to not live like our grandparents. Or previous generation. The world has moved on stop being scared of economic or soical changes.

[@jeffersonianideal]

58:41 "What the economy needed was, you know, Keynesian stimulus of money." Often a clue word is said in haste.

[@coolbeans6148]

Wow, holy shit. And they wonder why we want people screened at the border...

[@jeffersonianideal]

@@coolbeans6148 The border? Try scrutinizing the tens of millions of domestic Keynesians born and bred in the good ol' U Mess of A. A significant number of them being politicians.

[@peachykeen7634]

"Keynesian stimulus" is how they get fancy instead of saying "instead of returning to a gold standard with inherit stored wealth, we just like to leave a rock on the "print" button of the treasury from time to time."

[@nonmagicmike723]

That quote didn't age well at all.

[@imonlyamanandiwilldiesomed4406]

The question we all need to ask ourselves is this: if Libertarianism is superior, why haven't we seen Libertarian revolutions, like America's war for independence, across the world? I would argue that it's because the British Empire was, at the time of the revolution, the most Libertarian (free) civilization in existence. The Founding Fathers didn't have some distant and relatively more free civilization that they could simply move to and start over. They had to choose between accepting their plight under a tyrannical king in the most free nation on the planet, or revolt against that king and establish a nation of greater liberty. They choose revolution. Today, the best and the brightest across the world don't have to choose between fighting for liberty or accepting their plight, they can simply move to the west, leaving their countrymen to their authoritarian plight. I think that we should shut the borders down to all immigration (into the nation, not out of) except from nations that fulfill a checklist of libertarian laws and practices, including and especially non-immigration between non-libertarian nations. Let the best and brightest in the world stay where they are and do their duty and fight for liberty. Lets turn the world into a pressure cooker for liberty and end this authoritarian madness that has plagued our species since time immemorial.

[@realjrq]

This woman is outright lying about history and making up things without being challenged. It’s like the interviewer has a bias.

[@Pandaemoni]

Why not correct the record in your comment, or at least refute a few choice examples?

[@AlanYoungIII]

When the Spanish flu was killing people, were Spanish people attacked the same way? Edit: Never mind, this question was addressed.

[@mattyp1972]

Anti-Asian xenophobia? What is she talking about? Everybody swipes right on a cute Asian.

[@RAralar]

She is being an idiot. I'm Asian and agreeing

[@woodchuck003]

I thought the original interview was interesting but then I heard the second part and no I think racism will never be gone because there will always be some like Jia Lynn Yang to stoke the fire and invent racism out of thin air.

[@bapi1129]

Never assumed open immigration. Dad was a 16 yr old valedictorian in a village outside Calcutta, got a full ride to M.I.T. They only wanted top scientists, engineers and doctors.

[@voswouter87]

The big question isn't open or closed borders. But whether you pay people to come to your country. Welfare payments in the US are huge. That's what's pulling in the worst people.

[@jeffhaffley]

Simple Question: Does your typical libertarian conference, party, or demographic look more like pre-1965 America or post-1965 America? To ask the question is to answer it. Sadly, EuroAmericans are the only group that majority supports the Bill of Rights across the board (Source: Pew) as well as anti-statist candidates and policies. Look at the Demos of the Ron Paul Rallies. More immigration leads to the election of more statist Democrats. We need to slow it down/stop it until we can figure out how to bring in people who won’t vote for socialism. Cheap Labor, Exotic Food, and Feeling Good about ourselves is not worth trading the away our heritage of liberty. That’s one “Free Trade” I’m not on board with.

[@long-timelistenerfirst-t-us2yy]

*Disgusting interview apologizing for a pathology disguised as political ideology.*

[@sebastienledoux7566]

All her arguments can be debunked with one word: automation.

[@geraldhirsch8421]

Also: sovereignty

[@peapod8]

How many MS13 human/drug traffickers is this woman taking into her home and office? Her philosophy comes from bubble-protected academia. The aspects of this issue she leaves out is no-less epic yet typical of liberal lunacy. She is a menace. (See my other posts today.)

[@THEScottCampbell]

Is there any mention of the restrictions AGAINST English & German immigrants and the open door for Middle Eastern and Arabic immigrants?

[@Clockwork0nions]

Of course there isn't. Reason has been infected with TDS.

[@Beefster09]

You know someone is full of shit when they say "I'm not racist, but..."

[@jeffersonianideal]

After the tired masses are permitted to huddle again, and they figure out how to breathe free, they’ll be able to send out cordial invitations for the rest of you.

[@Alaninbroomfield]

You're not making any sense to me. Can you elaborate a bit more?

[@jeffersonianideal]

@@Alaninbroomfield What are you having difficulty understanding?

[@Alaninbroomfield]

@@jeffersonianideal Are you speaking in terms of welcoming millions of more people from shithole countries to live here in America, a land with 40 million unemployed people?

[@jeffersonianideal]

@@Alaninbroomfield The sick and tired masses gasping for air are the current throngs of American citizens that have been enduring the reckless, government initiated implosion of the U.S. economy and the rapid erosion of individual liberties.

[@wh0_am_152]

As far as I am concerned if America wishes to succeed she should never truly closer her borders, as throughout history we can see that much of the innovation that built America to be what it is came from outsider her borders. That does not mean that America should not secure her borders, as many of the empires of old fell to the inability to secure ones borders from external opposing populaces. Thereby what America should do is secure the borders, but allow those who believe in and are willing to work for the American vision and help to secure it's future.

[@Halfy06]

Demographics is destiny. Adios American! Thanks Teddy Kennedy!

[@kingj7606]

Immigration is salutary to an economy, immigration not to welfare but to employment

[@glasshammer291]

We need a total immigration moratorium now.

[@Beefster09]

To be consistent, you'd need to ban travel too. The issue here is people moving around, not people staying here. You could argue that immigration is less dangerous than tourism for not spreading disease, so frankly, you're wrong.

[@glasshammer291]

@@Beefster09 Who's talking about disease?

[@NwoDispatcher]

changed? thats an interesting word for genocide

[@DutchTDK]

You haven't watched the hour long video which was uploaded 7 minutes ago I believe

[@jeffersonianideal]

Those who control the meaning and the use of words, control the discourse.

[@AKlover]

@@DutchTDK Not too much need, skip around a bit. Just supposed Libertarians taking money from the Koch's and Soros to parrot the left's talking points and depress domestic labor prices. 30 million Americans got unemployed in the last few weeks..................... You can clear a lot of the labor markets by sending home the 20-30 million who are not supposed to be here. You need only use the welfare rolls to roll up and deport most of them, the welfare will be in the name of the anchor baby. The anchor baby can come back in 16+ years, ALONE.

[@NwoDispatcher]

@@DutchTDK yep. I dont really have to. I know how the story ends. Especially becaues this is a treacherous libertarian channel. You all should be lucky that you're all not destroyed for seditious globalism and crimes against humanity

[@NwoDispatcher]

@@jeffersonianideal and how does one control the meaning of words? They do it by force of spirit ALONE!!! Atheism was the end of our country's culture. Atheism is the lack of all confidence... the source of power and ethnicity.

[@nonmagicmike723]

A lot of our immigration laws get done quietly. If the 1965 Act were put to a vote, it would've been shot down. So there's been a bit of "elites doing their own thing" when it comes to this issue. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. I mean, the large immigrant waves of the 19th and early 20th century did help sustain some massive economic growth that ended up giving us much of what we enjoy about the modern world. And today's tech industry also seems to be benefiting from the talents of immigrants. At the same time, the importation of slaves was a mistake, as its economic benefits were limited and temporary, and its subsequent problems long-lasting. So, yeah, I'm all for immigration, but certain kinds of it ought to be avoided.

[@jacobhuff3748]

I'm just realizing how much the world has changed economically in less than 2 centuries and how this is linked to changes in our immigration policy.

[@bozimmerman]

What a great interview-- I was riveted. So, WTF with the dislike ratio?!

[@Toyotas_n__Tools]

I worked for a independent grocery store supplier and they're Asian sections in rural area's where they sold the most product compared to the independent stores in the cities.

[@dojochuck]

Vast majority of Americans want immigration dramatically reduced. End of discussion.

[@moriahjmiller]

dojochuck could you provide evidence for your statement?

[@dojochuck]

@@moriahjmiller Have you heard of Google? I can only provide you links that you can find yourself. Here's one - www.immigrationreform.com/2020/03/27/trump-immigration-poll-support-immigrationreform-com/ Of course the argument then could be "all of those sites are right wing", which is mostly correct. However, that is because the numbers are true, and so left leaning outlets will not report it. Here's another - www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/13/ipsos-poll-nearly-8-in-10-americans-want-immigration-moratorium-for-u-s/, but of course, if you are not conservative you will cringe at the name breitbart. Anyway, the information is all out there. The real question is, is there any other information that disputes those numbers?

[@admiralnelson7338]

@@dojochuck The vast majority of Americans choose to be fat does that make it right then?

[@Pbofficial743]

Fantastic interview! Although you lost me with the Keynesian demand, the Republican party needs to go back to the pro-immigration party it was under Reagan and Bush.

[@geraldhirsch8421]

We don't need more people in this country. Mechanization and automation are making vast swaths of human capital irrelevant.

[@sanniepstein4835]

Open spaces and cheap land were essential to American culture. Uncontrolled immigration destroys that.

[@Melnek1]

@Judge Dredd At most, dozen technicians and engineers, yes, automation destroys jobs, theoretically it is creative destruction, which increases economic efficiency and allows people to have more profitable occupations, the problem is that it is coming too fast, and it goes in the space of two decades to eliminate the absolute majority of unskilled jobs. This pandemic and the economic depression that will follow is accelerating the process, an industry that is going to be eradicated, for example, is that of truck drivers, which leads to another dark aspect, the economic consequences of automation has a clear geographic profile, where it it will be tougher in the interior of the country, and milder in the coasts and in its mega cities. Precisely affecting the most well-armed and resentful population for the course that the country has taken in recent decades, the sense that white Americans are losing the country, will become increasingly apparent and gain urgency, and this uncontrolled immigration policy added the growing identification of the republican party with the white population and the countryside, you have the perfect storm for turbulence, and the next public debt crisis and the geopolitical challenges that China will impose will make the situation much worse. Difficult years are ahead for America.

[@nonmagicmike723]

Fear of immigration really comes down to a worry that the people coming in will either destroy or won't be able to maintain the good stuff about America. That "good stuff" may depend on whom you're asking, but it's generally things like rule of law, wealth creation, low corruption, etc.

[@148.gforlife4]

In Article I, Section 8, the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the responsibility “To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization,” determining how immigrants can become citizens. Various states passed laws aimed at preventing a variety of populations from entering the borders of their states, including individuals with criminal records, people reliant on public assistance, etc.......

[@nonmagicmike723]

The Mexican population grew tremendously in the latter half of the 20th century. That's part of why immigration from there has become more problematic than it used to be.

[@FollowingYah]

Thank you Reason, for not catering to your recent influx of conservative subscribers during the free speech debacle, and for staying true to reason. Immigration, legal or not, would not be a big problem if there was no welfare state, or the ability to create one was adequately limited.

[@bruhmoment8108]

Lex selling out to libertarians is surely one of the greatest tragedies of Righttube.

[@grandmaster-grouch]

its amazing all these americans not wanting immigrants in America. If memory serves right Rome also made this choice. we are not romans however we are a great empire. destined to make the mistakes of history. Lord help us; for we do not know what we are doing. whenever one side hears the other sides philosophy whenever speaking about anything important; the conversations become toxic. Eliminating the notion of unity. i do not know how to build a future if you do not want to build it with me. because we cannot build it alone..

[@howardwhite9773]

Wow. Just Wow...

[@brettknoss486]

That is one of the problems with the 1965 act was the limiting of Mexican immigration. At the same time there is the issue of closing the borders with Mecxico and Canada through things like the war on drugs. I think the thing that is interesting though, is the idea of Canada as a ation of immigrants, and at times Mexico was viewed a lot the same. In the early 20th century, Mexico was settled by American industrialists, and European laborers, so it was perhaps kinda this idea that the open border will make them more like us.

[@nonmagicmike723]

If count immigration as a share of the receiving population, then Canada is more of a nation of immigrants than we are. Not sure about Mexico, though.

[@ptptpt123]

This discussion is history focused. Much less relevant to current debate for various reasons, not fit to be discussed here in the mud called youtube comments. I focus on learning from her, than pointing where I could disagree. Some new history here which was valuable.

[@Rinorbosskos]

A Country is build by strangers and hold by its Citizen! I mean if you build a house with five friends(Strangers!) and after that a sixth person comes and says i want to live in your house and you cant kick me out because i am a stranger !!!???

[@peachykeen7634]

uuuuuuh wut. If those strangers commit together to build something, they've made a community. They are free in their own discernment to CHOOSE with whom they associate. Do they want to add more strangers to the house? Do other strangers need to gather and form their own house? etc.

[@TonyOlsenFerris]

FreedomHaven.org plans to be an open-immigration seasteading nation. What issues might they be missing?

[@Halfy06]

So she doesn't like to recognize patterns in different races and cultures.... uhh ok

[@jewelzs1095]

Curious on your thoughts on eugentics and the breeders association stuff...i wanna get my hands on that book. Also curious on your thoughts for immigration policy and what youd change or how you change the policies that are in place now. My ex is trying to get a job with using opt n i-394 but he went back to his country and now is having a hard time getting back in...told him to just pick a grad school to go too but guess his country isnt paying for it and you have to show you have money in the bank or something to get the school to do the i-20.

[@nonmagicmike723]

Eugenics were all the rage in the early 20th century. The idea was to encourage people with traits deemed good to procreate and to discourage those with bad traits from having children (sometimes by sterilizing them). Then, Hitler took the whole thing too far and it fell out of favor. As to immigration policy, I would like the current quotas expanded by about 50% in the US. Illegals ought to be legalized and given residency (but not citizenship). And I'd also like to particularly increase immigration with European countries, and perhaps a number of Latin American countries. The latter could be done via a free-movement agreement between the United States and any number of friendly countries. As to the particular case of your ex, not a clue. You should check out immigration forums online or groups on social media.

[@patrickday4206]

Eugenics were groups of people trying to take away people's fundamental rights to have children. Young women at 16 were sterilized for shoplifting thanks to the woman that started planned parenthood wonder why a Eugenics person started planned parenthood!

[@jaydeebishop2345]

I think I'm not racist enough to get the point here. I didn't get that relevance mentioned at the end. That book looks interesting tho.

[@odingodhood1459]

I hope her book addresses a more comprehensive set of motivations for immigration policy than just 'racism'. When talking about current events, I kept waiting for the discussion about the Woke influence and the stoking of resentment against 'whiteness' which might also be inflaming the problem attitudes against immigrants. Yang used the term 'whiteness' a few times, but more in the terms of assimilation into white western culture. I keep hearing the word 'racism' but I keep seeing politics and culture wars instead. How about the stated political goal of replacing all those 'privileged' white voters with a stable of instantly naturalized, immigrated left leaning minorities. Is it unreasonable for the 'native' majority (and native minorities) to get their hackles up over such a overtly stated goal? How about the woke encouragement to voluntarily segregate in cultural enclaves, which appears to be the real progressive definition of 'multi-cultural' and preserves imported cultural attitudes contradictory to the western cultural values we expect immigrants to adopt? You know things like dignity culture instead of honor culture, the American civic religion, and national pride. I've heard there's a percentage of non-acculturated immigration of the population which increases the likelihood of societal instability and violence, and that we're about to that level. After decades of allowing the highest legal immigration rates of any modern country (about 1,000,000 / year), and ignoring a steady stream of illegal immigration (guesses of 20,000,000 total), there seems to be some concern amongst the 'natives'. Is that concern 'unreasonable'?

[@bubbaloojohnson6802]

I wonder if Nick's attitude on immigration would change if the immigrants were taking the smug interviewers jobs.

[@tekubus]

Right, so has anyone else noticed right, how communists right, say right aot?

[@coolbeans6148]

58:40 "We need Keynes economics" ...Jee, I wonder why we would want to screen people before giving them citizenship lol! I libertarian society CANNOT exist with open boarders.

[@ClassicalLiberalWarrior]

Poor interview. Yang has a lot to say -- but the interviewer is way too incompetent to get it out.

[@dooffff]

This video looks like 1791L edited it. I like the style

[@MrJonnyPepper]

❤

[@patrickday4206]

The only thing that always bothered me was people request citizenship wait years get rejected and it's never a question if your rich and want citizenship!

[@ralphy12345]

There is a constant beating of the drum "we are a nation of immigrants". Yes I will give you that the grand majority of us came from somewhere else, but this is no longer the same country as in the 19th Century or even the 20th Century up to World War 2. I hear such praise for countries like Iceland and Norway regarding their societies and how much better they operate. They speak about their strong sense of cohesion and ability to lock arms and get things done. The difference is they are a nation of Icelanders and Norsemen. They are a homogeneous people with a stated homogeneous culture. That's OK for them, but not for us. And if we try to develop that culture, then there's accusations of xenophobia and racism, etc.. One question not directed back to Ms. Yang was "how do the Chinese and Taiwanese behave toward non Asians?". The Japanese, for instance, have a term 'gaijin', meaning outsider or foreigner. I wonder if the Chinese have a similar term?

[@WickedServantEbay]

You're a bit late to the party, many of us have been talking about this for years, but welcome

[@geraldhirsch8421]

Exactly - in California we passed Propostion 187 in 1994. We in FAIR and Numbers USA were instrumental in defeating "comprehensive immigration reform" during both the Bush and Obama administrations. We will defeat this open borders madness in time.

[@davidcarlson4958]

Not many people that have 500,000 subscribers are talking about it. But yeah bub, the world revolves around u and your in group.

[@vaibhavgupta20]

Dislike ratio this video is not as bad other immigration video on reason.

[@hollywoodgold8076]

Every race/ethnicity have good, bad and everything between in them. It's the percentages we need to pay attention to. All anyone has to do is look around the world at ALL the countries. Then look who is the Majority of that country, which is ALWAYS the ones RUNNING that country. So now we can see what race/ethnicity runs their country the best and TREATS their OWN PEOPLE the BEST. Provides more freedoms, rights, opportunities, etc. It's very obvious to me, that white majority, white run countries not only run the countries the best, but treat their citizens the best, even the citizens that are not part of the majority. So really, minorities living in white majority, white run countries should want white people to maintain their majority so the country is run the best and the citizens, ALL CITIZENS are treated better and given more opportunity, freedom, etc. PROVE ME WRONG.

[@cconroy1677]

Irrelevant. All men are created equal, you have to give them the benefit of the doubt you yourself have never actually earned either. When they commit treason or any other real crime (which we don't even prosecute our own citizens for properly anymore....) yank em, no question. Ya gotta stop thinking satan is gonna get the jump on you, as long as you are watchful and not blissfully ignorant to the possibilities. Freedom is not set-it-and-forget-it, it's not easy or low stress, it's just worth it.

[@hollywoodgold8076]

@@cconroy1677 Yes, all men are created equal. However, though created equal, it's the CHOICES you, I or anyone else makes that makes one less than or better than. That is why countries are better or worse then one another. Their CHOICES on how they run the country and how they treat their people, determines if they are good, bad, or between. The benefit of the doubt goes to those who have earned it by previous, consistent behavior. MY LIFE CHOICES tells everyone who I am. Just like yours, and everybody elses'.

[@SharifMatar]

Nick is a very thoughtful interviewer

[@tdtrtgrytftuih4486]

He's very thoughtful about taking advantage of every opportunity to interject and interrupt the interviewee

[@Estayben]

Yoo based

[@illuminaughty8451]

We are a nation of colonialists, opportunists, subjugators of anyone we consider “inferior” and outright racists. Not “immigrants”. We functioned like this, as the human species, LONG before the term, “immigrant”, was ever coined. Division based physical characteristics or geography is the disease. Policy based on individual merit is the only remedy.

[@fatihnri2484]

"the armed forces, to protect men from foreign invaders"

[@xxjxjxjxjxj2207]

Why do I fall in love with every Chinese woman I see? I’m hopeless

[@thebravewolf9195]

Yellow fever much? I find Asian (especially Chinese) women unattractive and dull in personality, too heavily materialistic and status hungry. Anyways, do you.

[@donotlike4anonymus594]

man i love reason magazine but from time to time u make a poor video/... here's a perfect example.... first of all there's a huge diffrance betwean immigration and illigal immigration... wonna critizice trump for reducing legal immigration i'm fine with the arguemnt and.... but don't u dare mixing legal and illegal immigration! i'm sick of this bullshit personally i'm very much a libareterian and belive in more immigration (to a degree as long as it's stable and sustainable...) but you can be for immigration and support trump... open borders are a horrible idea never never dare mixing legal and illegal immigration! man this is not what i signed up for... u can either be a libareterian good magazin or just another part of the devision of the left... with the same tds and pointless arguments...

[@Pandaemoni]

Curiously, at least on my screen, your post is directly below four other posts saying we need a total and complete ban on all immigration, legal and illegal alike. So not everyone is making the distinction you are.

[@donotlike4anonymus594]

@@Pandaemoni and this is the problem with the world.. a idiotic mentality of yes or no black or white good or bad.. r or d... the same zero sum game mentality which we hate so much... to see other react in a more reasonable manner u most first be the one to stop being unreasonable... U stop mizing legal and illegal immigration and u won'f be argued against in the exact same matter.. as simple as that... reason magazine should do a better job not falling into the partisan divided idiotic tribal world we live in

[@realOwlCube]

Second