The former president also told NBC News that spending billions to execute mass deportations of undocumented immigrants is justified because allowing them to remain would cost more.

  • ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    3 months ago

    I’m not saying that the government wants that. I’m saying they could do it if they did want to. The original claim I responded to was that the damage would be “irreparable” and I’m arguing that the USA is such a desirable place to live that such damage could be repaired by allowing in some of the many, many people outside of the country who do want to immigrate.

    (A side note: I acknowledge that amnesty for illegal immigrants may be the best policy in practice, but I think that it is a “crime does pay” policy that rewards people for breaking the law and therefore encourages more law-breaking. I would rather deport the people who were willing to break the law and replace them with people who respected it, but that’s probably both expensive and politically unfeasible.)