There was nothing sly about saying many of the immigrants have come on buses from Texas. That is true.
And to your broader point -- I think you're wrong. Waves of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees, many of them "unskilled," came to the U.S. in the 1980s and '90s, following the end of the Vietnam War. That did not crush this country; it strengthened it.
Similar waves of refugees from other countries have come to the U.S. throughout the 20th century. All made the country stronger, not weaker.
No idea where you're getting your info. Carl. Check out the History Channel site in a search for "Vietnamese refugees." More than 3 million people fled Vietnam after 1975 and more than a million were settled in the U.S. This is from the Migration Policy Institute: "Approximately 11,400 refugees were resettled in FY 2021, 25,500 in FY 2022, and 31,800 in the first eight months of FY 2023."
Good point about immigrants helping to keep the population of NY up. Also, what most opposed to immigration fail to mention is that the jobs the immigrants are “ stealing” are jobs most American citizens won’t, or can’t, do. We need them to work in the service industry, farming and manufacturing to name just a few.
We should be very familiar of this fact by now since college students from Eastern Europe have been coming here for years to do the jobs are kids would not.
It takes courage to leave your ancestral home, to persevere through exhausting hardships and victimization by predatory “coyotes,” and to be willing to face an increasingly uncertain welcome, all in the hope that your willingness to work can start you on the ladder to a better life. That kind of gumption is in short supply among many of the people who complain the loudest about the crisis at the border, a crisis that was a long time in the making, with the fingerprints of many, many politicians from both parties all over it.
Will, I wonder where and when the kindness left us. We were once a nation of welcome and diversity. I am right now walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and have met so many kind people, not only here in Spain but from all over the world. We walk, eat and sleep with different people each day. I think out positions need to walk 500 miles….. let’s be kind to each other
Thank you for writing about refugees and immigrants. Too many people who feel that they are "true blue Americans" selectively forget that there were native human beings living here way before European explorers seized lands or why immigrants from European countries arrived on these shores to establish new lives. That begs the crucial question: Is an immigrant from Europe more worthy, more deserving, than an immigrant from other lands on this planet?
Thank you for this factual article! Immigrants are so sorely needed in this country and every state. We write letters to our representatives recommending more folks are trained to process more immigrants faster and permit them to work immediately following approval. One of my former students is an immigration lawyer for a nonprofit in Brooklyn, NY and she and her peers are so frustrated with America’s archaic policies. We must become more efficient in processing those seeking asylum, as immigrants have always been America’s lifeblood! Not only are permitting folks in who wish to provide better lives for their families, but it is the humane and compassionate thing to do. In addition, they add to America’s rich culture and increase robustness in our economy.
There was nothing sly about saying many of the immigrants have come on buses from Texas. That is true.
And to your broader point -- I think you're wrong. Waves of hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees, many of them "unskilled," came to the U.S. in the 1980s and '90s, following the end of the Vietnam War. That did not crush this country; it strengthened it.
Similar waves of refugees from other countries have come to the U.S. throughout the 20th century. All made the country stronger, not weaker.
No idea where you're getting your info. Carl. Check out the History Channel site in a search for "Vietnamese refugees." More than 3 million people fled Vietnam after 1975 and more than a million were settled in the U.S. This is from the Migration Policy Institute: "Approximately 11,400 refugees were resettled in FY 2021, 25,500 in FY 2022, and 31,800 in the first eight months of FY 2023."
Great article......
Bundle them up and send rhem, They are despararely needed.
Good point about immigrants helping to keep the population of NY up. Also, what most opposed to immigration fail to mention is that the jobs the immigrants are “ stealing” are jobs most American citizens won’t, or can’t, do. We need them to work in the service industry, farming and manufacturing to name just a few.
We should be very familiar of this fact by now since college students from Eastern Europe have been coming here for years to do the jobs are kids would not.
Yes, yes, yes. Same as it ever was!
It takes courage to leave your ancestral home, to persevere through exhausting hardships and victimization by predatory “coyotes,” and to be willing to face an increasingly uncertain welcome, all in the hope that your willingness to work can start you on the ladder to a better life. That kind of gumption is in short supply among many of the people who complain the loudest about the crisis at the border, a crisis that was a long time in the making, with the fingerprints of many, many politicians from both parties all over it.
Well said.
Will, I wonder where and when the kindness left us. We were once a nation of welcome and diversity. I am right now walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and have met so many kind people, not only here in Spain but from all over the world. We walk, eat and sleep with different people each day. I think out positions need to walk 500 miles….. let’s be kind to each other
Let’s not forget that wasn’t always the case either. The Irish and Italians were ostracized in New York and Boston.
Immigration definitely!
Thank you for writing about refugees and immigrants. Too many people who feel that they are "true blue Americans" selectively forget that there were native human beings living here way before European explorers seized lands or why immigrants from European countries arrived on these shores to establish new lives. That begs the crucial question: Is an immigrant from Europe more worthy, more deserving, than an immigrant from other lands on this planet?
Go Beatriz!
Thank you for this factual article! Immigrants are so sorely needed in this country and every state. We write letters to our representatives recommending more folks are trained to process more immigrants faster and permit them to work immediately following approval. One of my former students is an immigration lawyer for a nonprofit in Brooklyn, NY and she and her peers are so frustrated with America’s archaic policies. We must become more efficient in processing those seeking asylum, as immigrants have always been America’s lifeblood! Not only are permitting folks in who wish to provide better lives for their families, but it is the humane and compassionate thing to do. In addition, they add to America’s rich culture and increase robustness in our economy.
I LOVE K. Braico!