The pro-immigrant sentiments expressed by Jack Cashman in his Oct. 22 Maine Voices column are nice, but fail to mention that the assimilation of Mr. Cashman’s ancestors was facilitated by a 40-year pause in immigration, from 1925 to 1965. It speaks well of the old political class that they recognized the demographic instability and social problems brought on by waves of foreigners, and so they shut off the spigot until things could stabilize.
What appears to be anti-immigrant sentiment to Mr. Cashman is actually increasing frustration with the lack of action from our political class to address the justifiable grievances of American citizens to the problems brought on by the last 50 years of mass immigration. Our current policy of legally settling a million immigrants every year, and the tacit acceptance by our cultural elites of uncontrolled illegal immigration, is the cause of understandable resentment among American citizens. The proper and responsible approach would be for our elected representatives to enact an immigration moratorium, restrict refugee resettlement and to enforce laws against illegal entry (and for the unelected judiciary to respect those laws).
If those actions aren’t taken, and if the judiciary continues to impede enactment of the laws expressing the will of the people, then the problems brought on by mass immigration will only get worse: depressed wages, social rancor, congestion, demographic displacement, and, despite Mr. Cashman’s heartfelt wishes, rising anti-immigrant sentiment.
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