Immigration Research
In asking whether to allow the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States, one must consider the literature on the issue, morality and the arguments of the side opposing his or her own belief. In the instance of immigration with respect to the Syrian refugee crisis, it becomes evident that there is only one solution that truly represents the American way: We must open our borders — and our hearts — to the people who need our help the most.
It is a popular chronicle for nativists to claim that increased immigration will yield a net job loss for indigenous persons due to the influx of refugees and cheaper labor. Further, nativists claim that assimilation into American society would prove impossible for refugees, and recently, exclusionists seem convinced that opening our borders to nonwhite Muslims would be an invitation to terrorists, begging them to carry out attacks on American soil.
Fortunately, empirical research and statistics suggest otherwise.
In his 2008 book, Let Them In: The Case for Open Borders, Jason L. Riley, a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board, had this to say regarding the claim that mass migration has cost Americans jobs:
“The job-displacement myth, which fuels so much of the national immigration debate, can be rebutted empirically. In 2006, for example, there were around 146 million workers in the United States, and 15 percent, or 21 million, were foreign born. If immigrants were stealing jobs, 21 million U.S. nativists, or something approximating that number, should have been out of work. … (The actual number is only seven million.) So the majority of immigrants can’t literally have ‘taken’ [American] jobs.”
Riley’s point highlights the fact that immigrants are doing jobs Americans do not want to do, yet these jobs are necessary. The high-paying, more lucrative jobs that Americans have become accustomed to are only possible if the less-skilled positions are filled. Contrary to nativists’ beliefs, rather than restrain the national economy, immigrants propel us forward.
While we’re on the subject of dispelling popular immigration myths, let’s address what might be one of the most disappointing reasons of all to keep refugees out: the fear that they will rebut American values and refuse to assimilate, bringing their culture here and ruining ours in the process. Aside from the obvious quibbles one may have with the merit of such a theory, let’s consider the research. In February, Cato Institute researchers Alex Nowrasteh and Sam Wilson published a policy paper titled “The Political Assimilation of Immigrants and Their Descendants.” The take-home message is this: Just as college freshmen quickly assimilate to their school, embracing the campus culture, partaking in school traditions and becoming involved in various extracurricular activities, so too do immigrants assimilate. According to Nowrasteh and Wilson’s research, immigrants and refugees alike rapidly take to their new environment. They embrace the customs of their new culture, become engaged in politics and become active participants in the national economy.
And finally, if this column establishes nothing else, let us once and for all resolve this: Making the assertion that the great majority of Middle Eastern Muslims are radicalized, or “jihadists,” is fundamentally misguided. For if such a conception were true — making stark generalizations regarding an entire religion based on the actions of a radical minority — then it would also be fair to assume that most Christians are proud members of the Ku Klux Klan. Assuredly, this is not the case. Consider these statistics: Of the nearly 784,000 refugees who have been admitted to the U.S. since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, only three of those refugees have been arrested on charges of suspected terrorist activity, according to The Economist. That means one in every 261,333 refugees admitted into the U.S. is a possible threat.
In life, we accept risk. Every time we get into a car, there is a 1:112 chance we perish in an accident, according to the National Safety Council. Thus, simple mathematics would suggest that you are much less likely to die at the hands of a Syrian refugee than in a car crash.
Muslims, just like Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and atheists, are fundamentally good people. Similarly, migrants are simply persons determined to do the best they can for themselves and their families, so whatever your argument not to allow the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States is, consult the facts before coming to a conclusion.
