Issues Under Fire: Merit-Based Immigration Policy: Sounds Good on the Surface, But...
Fighting the latest charges of racism, rearing its ugly head in the highest levels of government, White House spinmeisters are recasting the Administration's case for stiffening qualifications to immigrate to the United States. It's not about race, religion or nation of origin, they say. It's all about what immigrants bring to the table when they try to come here. At one time, America was known and loved for warmly welcoming people in dire straits. Americans wanted to help those in need. America was always eager to share its great wealth with those who had little or nothing. If you were weary from war, terrified of tyranny or fleeing famine, America wanted to help. And they never asked if you could code. But America has changed.
Those yearning to be free from terror, corruption, violence and religious persecution need not apply if they don't possess the education, skills, and talents soon to be required by U.S. immigration. BTW, being White is a plus. Many say mandatory. Dodging bullets and bombs of a civil war, facing starvation or the threat of being beheaded by some local terrorist group is no longer considered enough to seek safe haven in America. In the old days, immigrants who could cook and clean had a chance. In this new day, if they can't code, they can't come. The message is clear, don't bring your troubles here! But, it gets worse.
Even the rules are changing concerning the temporary protection status of those who've been granted a place to stay while their home countries recover from natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. And that's unfortunate because many times, the inevitable corruption and political unrest that follows such devastating events will only exacerbate the impact. Haiti is such a place. Again, unfortunate, because despite the perseverance and potential of the Haitian people, U.S. immigration policy going forward seems as follows: If you're not a help, you're a hindrance. If you're not an asset, you're a liability. If you can't hit the ground running, run someplace else. So, the message is the same. Don't bring your troubles here!
This new slick twist on JFK's "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what can you do for your country" might sway some casual observers. Especially those who know little about the world beyond their own suburban and rural communities. They'll ask, why should Americans let people immigrate to the United States unless they can demonstrate their value. And since people who come from poverty-stricken, underdeveloped or war-torn countries (aka Shitholes) are less likely to have much more than perseverance and potential to offer, they'll be the ones most likely rejected out of hand. Affluent Western European countries will be far more appealing to Americans who want to make America great again.
Bottom line: The White House may think it expedient and clever to market a merit-based immigration policy to mitigate the international race row triggered in the wake of Trump's Shithole remarks, but the stench will persist. Black and Brown people aren't stupid. They've heard the dog whistles long enough to understand the messages. They know they're not wanted and they know why. They also know, given the opportunity, they can succeed as well as anyone else in this America. And, perhaps that's the true root of the immigration issue. Podcast below.
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