Immigration: How My Views Have Evolved After a Decade of Hard Lessons
At the very core of America’s cultural identity is a poem many of us know by heart — Emma Lazarus’s The New Colossus, engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
We are, without question, a nation of immigrants. Whether your ancestors crossed the Bering land bridge 15,000 years ago or arrived yesterday through JFK Airport, the common thread has always been the search for opportunity — for freedom, for safety, for the American Dream.
For much of my life, I passionately believed that the greatness of America came from keeping that door open as wide as possible. I argued, back in 2017, that the GOP was wrong on immigration, that we should remove quotas, offer green cards broadly, and welcome as many as possible into the system to pay taxes, reduce the shadow economy, and fuel our national promise.
But ten years have passed.
And in those ten years, the harsh realities of the Biden administration’s failed approach have dramatically reshaped my thinking.
Why My Stance Has Shifted
What I did not fully appreciate then — and what Americans are living through now — is that open borders without enforcement don’t create opportunity, they create chaos.
We are now facing historic levels of illegal crossings, overwhelming not just the Border Patrol, but also schools, hospitals, housing systems, and local communities across the country. Biden’s policies have turned what should be an orderly, merit-based immigration process into a free-for-all — and the consequences are hurting the very people we’re supposed to protect: American citizens.
While the ideals in our Declaration of Independence — that “all men are created equal” — inspire us to champion human dignity, they were never a blanket invitation to ignore the rule of law or surrender our borders. A nation without secure borders is not a nation at all; it is a land at the mercy of cartels, traffickers, and those who would exploit our openness for their gain.
Where I Stand Today
Today, I stand firmly aligned with the GOP on the need for:
✅ Strong border enforcement to protect American sovereignty and stop drug, gang, and human trafficking.
✅ Merit-based immigration that prioritizes those with skills, education, and the ability to contribute to our economy.
✅ An end to the lawless chaos that is eroding trust in our government and weakening the American working class.
This is not about shutting the door forever. It’s about fixing the lock, setting clear terms, and deciding as a nation who we welcome and why — not leaving it up to cartels or political operatives.
The American Dream, Protected
The promise of America must be protected, not given away recklessly. I still believe immigrants bring strength, ideas, and energy to this country — but they must come legally, transparently, and on terms that benefit both them and the nation they are joining.
We owe it to the citizens already here, the immigrants who followed the rules, and the generations to come.
This is not a rejection of compassion; it is a demand for fairness, order, and national strength — because without those, the lamp beside the golden door goes dark for everyone.
