In this episode, May Ee Wong challenges us to imagine borders and immigration differently in order to change how we treat people all over the world. The host discusses her personal experience as an immigrant and the idea of ranking immigrants based on their abilities.
The speaker discusses how the United States has historically been seen as a place of opportunity for immigrants to build and scale innovative technology, but also acknowledges the challenges of disruptive technologies such as cyber attacks and artificial intelligence. Additionally, he highlights the success of Indian and Iranian immigrants, while noting that intergenerational mobility has remained relatively stable for native-born Americans.
The speaker took a racist test and discusses the legitimacy of stricter immigration restrictions on non-white countries compared to white countries.
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.
The process of obtaining legal residency in a foreign country can be challenging and requires jumping through many hoops. This can often complicate plans for living in another country.
The speaker gives a nuanced perspective on the US narrative around revolution and the importance of H1B visas while also acknowledging the need for border control in immigration.
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.
The Minuteman Project was a short-lived volunteer effort to fight immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border, backed by a network of right-wing organizations run by Richard Mellon Scaife and Philip Sheldon, which includes Response Unlimited, a direct mail firm that sells mailing lists to conservative and Christian groups.
The speaker discusses misconceptions about immigrating to the United States and the excitement of traveling to a new destination.
The speaker discusses the various methods and costs of crossing the border illegally, as well as the presence of indentured slavery in the US.
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.
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.
Comedian Joe Rogan discusses the idea of having an immigrant police force in Kenya, specifically from Dagestan, stating that "immigrants get it done". He also mentions a recent incident where a Somali cop killed someone and suggests that the police force needs improvement.
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.
