Let Them In / The Case For Open Borders (Review)

Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders by Jason L. Riley

As a sociology teacher in a fairly "conservative" school, I had trouble teaching the kids about immigration without getting past their apprehensions about the whole topic.

Frustrated, I was recommended this book by my school's Spanish teacher, and I'm glad he did.

This book breaks down the six basic arguments of anti-immigration, and slowly and factually proves them each wrong.

The six assumptions he combats:

1. The country and the world cannot handle a larger population.

- Example: The entire world's population could fit in the state of Texas!

2. Immigrants are stealing our jobs!

- Example: Immigrants usually fit in one of two categories, less than a high school education, or an advanced degree (PhD). Since most Americans fall inbetween, the immigrants help expand the US economy.

3. Immigrants wont assimilate

- Example: 91% of second generationers know English. 97% of the third do as well.

4. Immigrants are living on the Dole.

- Immigrants are much less likely to be on Welfare than their native counterparts. The taxes that they pump into the system are hardly recovered as benefits in return; making for a large surplus (trillions).

Chapter 5 is a detour, that basicly paints politicians as idealogues (Republicans especially) who have been using this a wedge issue without looking at any solid cost/benefit analysis. He basicly outlines how the issue blew up in the Republican's faces since 2006.

6. We need to stop immigraton for the sake of homeland security.

- Crossing the Mexican border is most likely a last choice for an extremist to enter the U.S.

I highly reccomend this book to any rational thinking person who wants to read a sold 200+ cost/benefit analysis of immigration in the U.S. today.

5/5