A woman tells a story of a man assuming her immigrant father had an accent due to his job, when in reality he was an English teacher and spoke perfectly fine.
Two podcast hosts discuss the influence of their immigrant parents on their lives and how it connects them to others with similar experiences.
The guest shares the importance of immigrants learning the language of their host country, not only for their own success and integration, but also for the success of the country as a whole. The Netherlands’ successful language adoption policy is highlighted as an example.
Matt Yglesias explains that one reason why the United States has a hard tilt against immigration is because it has been part of its mission to be a major country. However, instead of finding a better system for selecting people in a responsible way, the US has been shutting down the flow of people trying to terrorize the millions of people who were just living there not doing anyone any harm.
Ed shares his experience as an immigrant in the US and the challenges of going through the immigration system legally. He also comments on the broken immigration system in the US and how he has seen people who didn't follow the process being in a better position than him.
Countries like Sweden and Finland have specified the number of folks they can accept who are uneducated or don't speak the language for their compassion-based immigration program. Admitting immigrants based on skills the country actually needs is more important than bringing in people who are net dependents on the government.
Washington D.C. is facing a surge of migrants arriving in the city, prompting calls for help from the National Guard. Buses have been bringing in groups of migrants, including young children, and the city is struggling to handle the influx on its own.
In this episode, the guest describes how her mother made the difficult decision to leave Jamaica to work in the US, unable to bring her family with her due to immigration laws at the time. She finally brought her children over 10 years later, and the guest reflects on their emotional reunion and the sacrifices her mother made for a better life.
Mary Gay Scanlon, a Democratic representative from Pennsylvania, speaks out against false claims suggesting that migrant families seeking asylum are the source of the fentanyl epidemic. She cites data showing that there is only a small percentage of fentanyl seized by Border Patrol agents and virtually none seized from migrants seeking asylum.
A Chinese man recounts his journey to the United States, encouraged by a friend to pursue his happy and sociable personality in a land of individual rights and international commerce, ultimately making the difficult decision to leave his home province and pursue an American education and career in law.
The speaker explains that he finds it easier to connect with immigrants than non-immigrant whites because there appears to be a "coldness" with the latter group, which makes it difficult for him to date someone whose family has been in America for generations.
Heidi shares her experience of moving from Germany to Provo, Utah with her first husband in 1958, and dealing with creepy phone calls while working in a bar.
The speaker describes the positive effects of economic and societal integration between nations on attitudes toward other cultures. Additionally, the problematic argumentative nature of criticizing other cultures for not assimilating quickly enough or for treating their minorities too harshly is criticized.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio's strong stance on illegal immigration has brought criticism from liberals, but his supporters stand by his views.
In the 19th century, immigrants in the North were treated poorly, working in terrible conditions and not allowed to be educated, leading to illness and death. These issues were hotly debated at the time, similar to debates we still face today.
The Coast Guard has seized 11 undocumented men after their boat sank and they were found on a separate boat. It is unclear at this time what caused the sinking and who owned the vessel that went down.
