Thread: Restriction Fiction

National Review Online
the corner
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Restriction Fiction [Mark Krikorian]

Derb: Your e-mailer extolling the wonders of free immigration wrote that "For the first half of America's history, there were no restrictions on immigration." This is a common line of reasoning from our libertarian friends, and it's horseflop.

First of all, starting in colonial times there were laws against admitting immigrants likely to become a public charge (and in the modern redistributive state, any immigrant without a high-school degree will, almost by definition, become a public charge).

But more basic is this: For the first half of America's history, there were few legal restrictions on immigration, but strict, unappealable practical restrictions — i.e., it was very hard to get here. As the practical restrictions effectively disappeared due to advances in technology, legal restrictions were developed to take their place. If it had been as easy to get here two centuries ago as today, immigration would have been limited then, too.

04/28 01:49 PM

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/? ... JkYWU5Mzg=

Restrict immigration entries to 100,000.

I remember reading somewhere that almost 1/3 of the immigrants entering Ellis Island were turned back.

Are we going to turn away 1/3 of immigrants, today?

Originally Posted by vmonkey56

Are we going to turn away 1/3 of immigrants, today?

We turned away 1/3 of those trying to enter legally. It was during the 'Great European Migration'. I believe it spanned about 25 years and only 14 to 16 million immigrants. In other words THAT migration which is so often mentioned by the OBL's amounted to at most 11 million immigrants in 25 years. Now in the past 25 years we have taken in 2 million immigrants a year legally and probaly another million illeagally. Do the math. I believe we should be turning away more than a third...much more!

Lower the numbers of legal entries and STOP ALL illegal entries. We cannot support the poor of the entire world. Yet are politicians are trying to force us to do just that.

Related Post
Schumer Subcommittee Holds Rigged Amnesty Hearings. Joe Stil
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-154992.html

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

I remember reading somewhere that almost 1/3 of the immigrants entering Ellis Island were turned back.

1/3rd were not turned back right away, but eventually 1/3rd left because they could not make it here, there was no welfare or public assistance, if they lost their job they did not have many options for survival.

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http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-892048.html#892048

Originally Posted by Bowman

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

I remember reading somewhere that almost 1/3 of the immigrants entering Ellis Island were turned back.

1/3rd were not turned back right away, but eventually 1/3rd left because they could not make it here, there was no welfare or public assistance, if they lost their job they did not have many options for survival.

I believe you're right, many saved money then returned home. I read so many articles some facts do get blurred.