Note: Given the importance of the subject matter, I’ve opted not to paywall this episode. But you should really do the right thing and subscribe—especially if you’re here for the first time!
Mark Krikorian is the Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies. He joins me for a broad discussion on his work, the history of CIS, and Trump’s second-term immigration track record.
To begin, Krikorian outlines his origin story. He then provides a brief history of the Center for Immigration Studies. I then ask Krikorian to make the case against legal immigration, which leads to a consideration of whether the problem is immigrants themselves or immigration as a phenomenon. Krikorian argues that it is the latter, although he states that immigrants from some parts of the world are more assimilable than others. We then talk about the forces driving mass immigration. Who’s to blame? Krikorian provides a nuanced explanation.
In the second half of the show, we switch gears to discuss Trump’s immigration record. Krikorian argues that Trump is doing a good job overall. But is there more that can be done? We cover Trump’s border policies, including the wall. I ask Krikorian if he believes Trump has abandoned mass deportations, as some have claimed. I also ask about self-deportations. How do we know that millions have left the country? We then discuss Trump’s efforts to lower legal immigration, which have come as a pleasant surprise. What are the policies that have led to the lowering of legal immigration? Tune in to find out.
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