Let's Be Honest, The Issue Here Is Not Really Immigration

The real issue isn't immigration, but welfare, or so says this piece by Brian Doherty at Reason. Take the issues of welfare and social services out of the equation, and the debate over immigration becomes something else entirely.

Maybe just as simple as Eugene Volokh points out that, "Illegal immigrants just do the jobs Americans won't do for the same low wages that illegal immigrants will take, and it helps our economy to have the jobs done at those low wages." Eugene complains it doesn't sound so good, but why not? Sounds like a healthy free market to me.

The real issue seems to be the arrogance of Americans today, totally oblivious to how good we have it here. Why should we let in only as many immigrants as our social safety net will support? It seems not only illogical, but just plain uncaring to deny immigrants entrance to the country based on the capabilities of our own social services, when the country they are immigrating from may have no social services in the first place. And 5 dollars per hour in the U.S. is much better than 5 dollars per day in Mexico.

What's the real story? It's much easier to ignore poverty and suffering if it's happening in another country. And quite frankly, it's disturbing when matching our wealthy standard of living becomes an entrance requirement in the United States.