Why should the government carefully regulate immigration? Because many millions who have come illegally over the last 10 years came not for “opportunity” but to take advantage of the largesse of the United States. Opportunity can be had in many countries. Yet many migrants insist upon America as their only possible destination. Why? It’s not because of opportunity; it’s because of entitlements. Unlike during the 19th century, when immigrants who arrived did so in full knowledge that their prospects to thrive depended entirely on their own efforts and abilities, today’s illegal immigrants come with the expectation that their well-being will be subsidized by American taxpayers.
Disembarking on Ellis Island in the 19th century guaranteed you nothing, but those who come through Eagle Pass today (legally or otherwise) can expect to be granted enormous benefits upon arrival. We allow illegal arrivals to send their children to “free” public schools. That “free” education still costs a lot of money … for us. Arriving in America also guarantees the availability of quality medical treatment. Such treatment comes with a price tag, but the services are provided before payment is rendered. Most often, those payments never come from the recipients, raising the already exorbitant cost of health care for citizens. College loans and grants are made available to illegal immigrants specifically. Driver’s licenses are issued. Food stamps, welfare benefits, and many other forms of financial support are on offer. Some jurisdictions outside of Texas even allow illegal immigrants to vote in local elections.
Simply put, immigration used to be cost-neutral or even a driver of U.S. economic growth. Now it comes with a price tag. The bag of goodies included as a welcome gift isn’t free, and citizens pay the cost. We can’t blame people of other nations for taking advantage of this generosity. Their choices are rational. We are incentivizing them to make that choice. But we can and should blame a government that refuses to acknowledge its duties to Americans: protecting the value of citizenship and being a good steward of the public trust.
When immigrants came here purely for opportunity, we got eager workers, many with valuable skills or knowledge. Now that they come for the perks, we get a subset of migrants who are inclined to dependency. Many of them also desire opportunity—but their motives are mixed. Too often, the entitlements are the “opportunity.”