In my recent column, I expressed mixed feelings about the Great Wall of America. As an immigrant to this country, my heart sinks at the symbolic exclusion of it. It reeks of the idea that foreigners are a threat, rather than the great resource they have always been to the U.S. I’m also in favor of liberal immigration policies, and would like to see more selection on the grounds of talent and abilities, rather than mere family reunification. I viscerally dislike some of the nativist and racist rhetoric surrounding this subject.
But I have to say that, after mulling it over, my objections to the wall are beginning to wane. I take Jonah’s point. If it’s possible to secure the border, why not? One of the core responsibilities of government is law and order, and protecting and controlling borders is a basic duty. A real wall might even alleviate some of the hostility to Hispanic immigrants, by removing the stigma of illegality. Yes, I’m also in favor of a gradual legalization of most of those illegals already here. But we’d have a better chance of persuading Americans of the need for a humane approach to this if they were persuaded the wall represented a real moment of border control – and not another gimmick. If we did it first, we’d have a better chance of integrating those already here. Just as welfare reform helped ease some racism in this country, the Wall might have a similar effect on the current wave of anti-immigrant panic. Or am I being naive?
The Dish 