The Myth of Villain vs. Victim Narratives in Immigration

The U.S. immigration system is a massively complicated machine, with a lot of worn-out parts. How to fix it? Step one: Get hold of some actual facts and evidence. (We did this step for you.) (Part two of a three-part series.)

• SOURCES:
  • Zeke Hernandez, professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • David Leonhardt, senior writer at the New York Times.
  • Sindhu Mahadevan, creator of This Immigrant Life newsletter.

• RESOURCES:
  • The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers, by Zeke Hernandez (2024, available for pre-order).
  • "Illegal Immigration Is a Bigger Problem Than Ever. These Five Charts Explain Why," by Andrew Mollica, Alicia A. Caldwell, Michelle Hackman, and Santiago Pérez (The Wall Street Journal, 2023).
  • Ours Was the Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream, by David Leonhardt (2023).
  • The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration, by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2017).

• EXTRAS:
  • “The True Story of America’s Supremely Messed-Up Immigration System,” series by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
  • "And the New Six-Word Motto for the U.S. Is …," by Stephen Dubner (Freakonomics blog, 2008).