The Immigrant Superpower
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The Immigrant Superpower

How Brains, Brawn, and Bravery Make America Stronger

Tim Kane
Oxford UP, 2022
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Controversial
  • Eye Opening
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Politicians and pundits routinely call the US immigration system “broken.” Generally conflating legal and illegal immigration, critics argue that the system lets in too many people who will burden America economically, foster crime and dilute the national culture. But Hoover Institution economist Tim Kane argues that immigrants are and have been a central pillar of America’s power, providing “brains, brawn and bravery” that have helped the United States excel in every field. In this well-argued rebuttal to isolationism – and knowing the subject is controversial – Kane calls for smart immigration reform that balances compassion with national self-interest.

Summary

Immigration is part of the American identity.

The arrival of the Pilgrims in 1620, the “huddled masses” of the 20th century catching their first view of the Statue of Liberty, and the achievements of immigrant scientists, artists and entrepreneurs are foundational aspects of America’s identity. The founders of the United States envisioned a “nation of immigrants” that would draw people from all over the world. But throughout its history, America has vacillated in its attitude toward immigration.

Today’s conventional political wisdom is that the US immigration system is “broken.” Current immigration policy is a tangle of sometimes conflicting rules and laws. But efforts to restrict legal immigration drastically , as the US Senate considered in mid-2022, are not the solution. Successful reform must acknowledge the essential role immigrants have played in making the United States the wealthiest nation in history. 

The United States has always alternated between open and restrictive immigration policies. 

Thomas Jefferson and some of the other founders saw robust immigration...

About the Author

Tim Kane is the J.P. Conte research fellow in immigration studies at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. He also wrote Bleeding Talent: How the US Military Mismanages Great Leaders and Why It's Time for a Revolution.

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