E Pluribus Unum
"Out of many, one." America's strength has always come from people of every background coming together under shared values of freedom, opportunity, and the rule of law.
Celebrating Our Immigrant Heritage
Nearly every American is either an immigrant or descended from immigrants. From the Pilgrims to Ellis Island to today, people have come to America seeking religious freedom, economic opportunity, and a chance to build a better life for their families.
Immigrants have enriched every aspect of American life—building our cities, advancing our sciences, creating our art, serving in our military, and strengthening our communities. The American Dream is, at its core, an immigrant's dream.
Why No Country Can Have Open Borders
Loving immigrants and supporting legal immigration doesn't mean supporting open borders. In fact, every nation on Earth—including the most immigrant-friendly—maintains border controls. Here's why:
🛡️ National Security
Without border controls, a nation cannot screen for criminals, terrorists, or those who wish to do harm. Every country has a fundamental right and responsibility to know who is entering and to keep dangerous individuals out.
📊 Economic Sustainability
Social services—schools, hospitals, housing assistance, welfare programs—are funded by taxpayers and designed for a certain population. Unlimited, uncontrolled immigration would overwhelm these systems, ultimately hurting both citizens and immigrants already here.
🏥 Public Health
Legal immigration includes health screenings that protect both incoming immigrants and the existing population from communicable diseases. This isn't discrimination—it's basic public health that benefits everyone.
⚖️ Rule of Law
A nation that cannot enforce its borders cannot enforce its laws. When millions enter illegally, it undermines the legal system and is unfair to those who followed the rules and waited their turn.
🤝 Successful Integration
Managed immigration allows newcomers to integrate successfully—learning the language, understanding the culture, and becoming full participants in American life. Mass uncontrolled migration makes integration nearly impossible, creating isolated communities and social tension.
💼 Labor Market Balance
Unlimited low-wage labor depresses wages for American workers, particularly those in low-income communities who can least afford it. Legal immigration can be calibrated to fill genuine labor shortages without displacing American workers.
⚠️ Open Borders: A Position No Nation Holds
No country on Earth has truly open borders—not Canada, not the European Union, not Australia, not any Scandinavian country often held up as progressive models. Border control is a universal feature of nationhood, not a uniquely American position.
Legal Immigration: The Right Way
Legal immigration is fair, orderly, and beneficial to everyone. It respects both the immigrant and the nation they're joining.
✓ Benefits of Legal Immigration
- Background checks ensure safety
- Health screenings protect everyone
- Immigrants can work legally and pay taxes
- Path to full citizenship and participation
- Access to legal protections and services
- Families can stay together legally
- Respects those who waited in line
- Sustainable and manageable numbers
✗ Problems with Illegal Immigration
- No background checks—criminals can enter
- Dangerous journey exploited by cartels
- Human trafficking and smuggling thrive
- Workers exploited without legal protection
- Living in fear of deportation
- Undermines rule of law
- Unfair to legal immigrants
- Strains public resources unpredictably
The Human Cost of Illegal Immigration
Those who advocate for "open borders" or turning a blind eye to illegal immigration often don't consider the human toll:
- Migrants die crossing deserts, drowning in rivers, or suffocating in smuggling trucks
- Women and children are victimized by cartels who control smuggling routes
- Human trafficking flourishes when borders are porous
- Illegal workers are exploited because they can't report abuse without risking deportation
- Families are separated not by enforcement, but by the dangerous journey itself
A secure border and robust legal immigration system actually protects immigrants by eliminating the dangerous illegal routes and the criminals who profit from them.
💡 Pro-Immigrant AND Pro-Border Security
These aren't contradictory positions. You can welcome immigrants warmly while insisting they come through legal channels. You can celebrate diversity while expecting everyone to follow the same rules. You can be compassionate and still believe in the rule of law.
What We Can All Support
- A generous legal immigration system that welcomes people from around the world
- A secure border that keeps out criminals and ensures orderly entry
- Fair and efficient processing so legal immigrants don't wait decades
- A path for those already here who have built lives and contributed to their communities
- Treating all people with dignity regardless of their immigration status
- Fighting the cartels and smugglers who profit from human misery
- Addressing root causes that drive people to leave their home countries
Respect for Immigrants, Respect for Law
When we talk about immigration online, remember there are real people behind the statistics—families seeking safety, workers seeking opportunity, dreamers seeking a better life. They deserve to be treated with dignity in our discourse.
At the same time, respecting immigrants means respecting the legal framework that protects them. The answer isn't open borders that lead to chaos and exploitation. The answer is a legal immigration system that works—one that welcomes newcomers, protects Americans, and upholds the rule of law.
America is a nation of immigrants. Let's honor that heritage by doing immigration right.