Understanding the US Immigration Debate

UNDERSTANDING THE U.S. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION DEBATE

This meetup will attempt to provide a framework for analyzing the ongoing debate over US immigration policy, particularly as it relates to illegal immigration and Trump's proposed border wall. We'll begin by covering some of the psychological research on attitudes towards immigration. Next, we'll look at the economic effects of high levels of predominately low-skill immigration from Mexico & Central America. Third, we'll look at stats on the crime rate of illegal aliens and whether or not it's higher than American-born citizens. Lastly, we'll address some concerns about the impact that mass immigration from Latin America has on the "deep culture" & "social capital" of the U.S.

To prepare for our discussion, please just try to watch the videos (~55 min. total). The articles are there to supply additional info.

***If you RSVP but think you can't make it, please cancel at least 48 hours ahead of time.

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I. THE SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE:

1a) Vox, "The fractured politics of a browning America" (video - 6:51 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbjciJvacXY

1b) Jonathan Haidt, “The globalist blind spot“ (Video - 11:06 min.)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o-FSppkdYHo

• Vipul Naik, "The moral foundations of immigration restrictionism"
  https://openborders.info/blog/the-moral-foundations-of-immigration-restrictionism/

• Peter Thisted Dinesen, Robert Klemmensen & Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard, "Attitudes Toward Immigration: The Role of Personal Predispositions" (click on 'Read The Full Text')
  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pops.12220

II. THE ECONOMICS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION:

2a) Simon Whistler, "What Would Happen if Illegal Immigrants were Removed from America" (video - 11:32 min, start at 5:36 & watch to 11:03)
https://youtu.be/3rjE2IzCrm0?t=336

2b) PBS Newshour w/ Robert Lynch & Robert Rector, "Economic Costs, Bonuses of Legalizing Undocumented Workers" (video - 8:45 min.)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GzeK5FrrAgI

• IGM Experts, "Low-Skilled Immigrants"
  http://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/low-skilled-immigrants

• Robert Farley, "Will Trump’s Wall Pay for Itself?"
  https://www.factcheck.org/2018/03/will-trumps-wall-pay-for-itself/

• NAS, "Immigration's Long-Term [Economic] Impacts"
  http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=23550

III. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION & CRIME:

3a) Jake Tapper (CNN), "Fact checking Trump on crimes by undocumented immigrants" (video - 2:47 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoI6YX53i9s

3b) Tucker Carlson w/ Alex Nowrasteh, "Mollie Tibbetts' Murder, Illegal Immigrants and Crime Stats" (video - 6:37 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t7DRepUPhU

• Steven A. Camarota, "Non-Citizens Committed a Disproportionate Share of Federal Crimes, 2011-2016"
  https://cis.org/Camarota/NonCitizens-Committed-Disproportionate-Share-Federal-Crimes-201116

• Robert Farley, "Is Illegal Immigration Linked to More or Less Crime?"
  https://www.factcheck.org/2018/06/is-illegal-immigration-linked-to-more-or-less-crime/

IV. CULTURAL ASSIMILATION VS FRAGMENTATION:

4a) Black Pigeon Speaks, "The AmeriMEX Future of the United States" - summary of Samuel Huntington (video - 11:06 min, listen to 10:50)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEkDJ_JL1kk

4b) Sam Seder, "Latino Immigrants Assimilate No Slower Than Other Immigrants" (video - 2:45 min.)
https://youtu.be/vWGE5Zg5j_Y

• Pew Research, "Hispanic Identity Fades Across Generations"
  http://www.pewhispanic.org/2017/12/20/hispanic-identity-fades-across-generations-as-immigrant-connections-fall-away/

• NAS, "The Integration of Immigrants Into American Society"
  http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=21746

• Madeleine Bunting, "Immigration is bad for society, but only until a new solidarity is forged [says Robert Putnam]"
  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/jun/18/comment.immigrationandpublicservices