Friday, March 05, 2021

Sending Checks To Immigrants Early

 I once read that 7% of the world's population would move to the United States if they could. If the world's population is currently about 8 billion, that would be adding 560 million people to the 330 million who already live here.  That would give the US a population of 890 million.

Can we handle that many more people? I am not sure. It already takes me 45 minutes to get to the west side of Los Angeles and that is when the traffic is light. To visit certain parks here in California you have to make reservations a year in advance.

I know the counter-arguments for illegal immigration. People come here because they want to improve their lives. Or they come because they need asylum. If that is the case, why do we make them actually be present in the United States before granting them the benefits they would receive if they lived here? Is someone standing one foot south of our border with Mexico less deserving than someone standing one foot north?

If someone really wants to live in the United States but hasn't had the opportunity to cross the border yet, why don't we just mail him his benefits check early? That way he could have the economic advantages of living here without actually having to be physically present. He gets to enjoy the bosom of his family at home and I get to drive across Los Angeles without being stuck in traffic all the way.


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