Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, shares pivotal insights on Ukraine's ongoing conflict and the escalation tied to advanced weaponry. He discusses the Biden administration's military support and fears of nuclear tensions. Jessica Vaughn, from the Center for Immigration Studies, dives into the complexities of mass deportations and sanctuary cities amidst a contentious political landscape. Their conversation highlights the tricky balance between enforcing immigration policies and respecting community safety.

The debate about immigration brings out some of the deepest anxieties and biggest disagreements in America. And right now, all of it feels like it’s coming to a head. In 2022, there were over 2.76 million illegal migrant crossings at the Southwest border. That’s roughly the population of Chicago, America’s third largest city. To address this unprecedented surge, President Biden recently announced tougher restrictions and made a show of visiting the border himself. But unlike a decade or two ago, when the immigration debate was mostly about economics, today it’s an issue that’s subsumed by the culture wars and our polarized discourse. Republican governors bus migrants to sanctuary cities and they’re called “xenophobic” and “cruel” by the left. But what happens when a Democratic governor does much the same thing, bussing migrants from Colorado to New York City and Chicago? Is it still a heartless political stunt? Or is all of this just an inevitable consequence of our broken immigration system? So today: a debate moderated by guest host Kmele Foster between Alex Nowrasteh and Jessica Vaughan. Are current levels of immigration helping or hurting America? How do we balance humanitarian concerns with America’s economic and security needs? Should we be trying to enforce more or less restrictions at the border? And what exactly should we do to fix our immigration policies?Alex is the director of Economic and Social Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. Jessica is the director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that describes themselves as “pro-immigrant but low immigration.”While Alex and Jessica couldn’t be more opposite in their approach – Alex favors free immigration, while Jessica argues for restrictionist policies – today on Honestly we look for common ground, debate the facts, and search for solutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, argues in favor of the Secure the Border Act. The podcast discusses the implications of the act on border security, immigration, and the asylum system. It also explores the economic benefits of legal immigration, flaws in the eVerify system, and concerns about the negative impact of illegal migration on American workers. The hosts highlight the limitations of the Secure Border Act and the need for bipartisan discussions in the immigration space.