NPR’s Chain Migration Error

By Jeremy Beck

In her interview with Jose Antonio Vargas this week, NPR’s Rachel Martin mischaracterized separate proposals from David Frum and President Trump to reduce immigration. MARTIN: David Frum, who is a vocal Trump critic, agrees with President Trump on this idea of getting rid of a rule that says one member of the family who immigrates … Continued

David Frum, Jose Antonio Vargas and the state of the immigration debate

By Jeremy Beck

“How much immigration should we allow into the United States? And who should be allowed in?” Those are the questions NPR/WAMU’s “1A” poised in it’s April 11 episode featuring David Frum (The Atlantic) and Jose Antonio Vargas (Define American). Along with “how should they be enforced?” they are also the fundamental questions of immigration policy. … Continued

Immigration, Human Thriving and a ‘decent life for all [life]’

By Jeremy Beck

Last week, the American physicist Steven Chu spoke at the University of Chicago about the need to develop new economic systems that don’t rely on perpetual population growth. “The world needs a new model of how to generate a rising standard of living that’s not dependent on a pyramid scheme.” – Steven Chu at a … Continued

How Much Water is the GDP worth?

By Jeremy Beck

The New York Times is worried about water shortages and population growth…in Britain: “In the future, the changed conditions could amount to a 10 to 15 percent decline in the available water, and rainfall will probably become less predictable, creating a higher risk of drought. At the same time, Britain’s population is expected to rise … Continued

The media is catching up to the border crisis. Will Congress?

By Jeremy Beck

The forces driving the unprecedented surge in family units and minors at the southern border were in the spotlight last week, as many of the nation’s leading newspapers published reports within days of each other that paint a clearer picture of how loose “credible fear” standards, the “Flores” settlement, and lack of detention space and … Continued

Bigger isn’t always better

By Jeremy Beck

Immigration expansionists often say that struggling American towns and cities would benefit from increased immigration that would “grow the economy.” But adding people only guarantees that an economy will be bigger, not necessarily better. In Columbus, Ohio, for instance, tax revenues are not keeping up with population growth: “More people are calling Columbus home every … Continued

Mid-Terms Media Roundup: The past year of immigration punditry

By Jeremy Beck

Immigration and the Rat Race A memo from the Center for American Progress warns vulnerable Democrats to spend “as little time as possible” talking about immigration. The websites of at least five vulnerable Senate Democrats make no mention of immigration (although one of them – Joe Donnelly of Indiana – is running ads saying he … Continued

Four Solutions to the Family Border Crisis

By Jeremy Beck

A record number of migrants traveling with children have been apprehended at the border with a month to go in the fiscal year. Alfredo Corchado and Diane Solis of the Dallas Morning News report that the “renewed surge in Central American family migration is overwhelming private shelters and U.S. immigration holding centers.” Eric Olson of … Continued

‘I wrote so many ridiculous cases’ – Tales from the asylum mills

By Jeremy Beck

NPR’s Ailsa Chang has a wild story about a man who found his American dream writing fictional stories for asylum applicants. Years after being caught, he is in hiding from the FBI but sharing some of his best work with NPR over Skype. Chang’s story acts as a sequel to “Asylum Fraud in Chinatown: An … Continued