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The Immigrant Superpower
Book

The Immigrant Superpower

How Brains, Brawn, and Bravery Make America Stronger

Oxford UP, 2022 plus...


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.

Take-Aways

  • Immigration is part of the American identity.
  • The United States has always alternated between open and restrictive immigration policies. 
  • Isolationists use immigrants as scapegoats for a host of national problems.

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.