Introduction

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Agustina Vergara Cid discuss the recent comparisons between America’s border crisis and the threat to Israel from Hamas terrorists. They analyze a range of claims about the alleged threat posed by immigration across the Mexican border and explain how such claims are not only unsupported but result in massive injustice and obscure the actual problems with the immigration system. Among the topics covered: The existing border crisis in America; The unsupported claims of an “open border” and comparisons to Israel; How fearmongering undercuts our ability to address actual threats; Why terrorism from illegal immigrants is not a serious threat; How to think about the threat of terrorism objectively; The threat from drug cartels; Why migrants are not a threat to national sovereignty; The hypocrisy of anti-immigration politicians; How preventing economic migration fuels illegal immigration; What is the solution to the border crisis? Mentioned in this podcast and relevant to the discussion are Alex Nowrasteh’s testimony to Congress about the alleged threat of terrorism from the Southern border, the book Failing to Confront Islamic Totalitarianism by Onkar Ghate and Elan Journo, and a previous New Ideal Live podcast entitled “Dishonest Debate on Immigration and National Security” featuring Onkar Ghate and Vergara Cid. The podcast was recorded on October 25, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://youtu.be/SfFaLt7BFUI Podcast audio: