What are the benefits of immigration from an economic and social perspective? How do we distinguish between various types of immigrants, and how should societies balance the benefits of immigration with other considerations, such as security and cultural integration?  

In this episode of the Solutions With David Ansara podcast, I speak with Alex Nowrasteh, a policy scholar and director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute in Washington DC, about the arguments for open borders.   

Alex believes that countries which are more open to foreigners enjoy an economic dividend due to increases in skills and productivity. A liberalised immigration policy produces positive-sum gains for immigrants, as well as their host countries, he argues.   

I raise the most common objection to open borders: the problem of security and terrorism. Only those who pose a risk to "life, liberty and property" should be prevented from entering, Alex says. He notes that terrorism, while a significant problem, is not at the scale large enough to justify denying entry to those who do not pose such a risk.  

I also bring up the topic of cultural integration. Alex believes that smaller, more homogenous societies may be more justified in their concerns over the erosion of their language and culture, but the United States, with its long tradition of multiculturalism, does not experience this problem to the same extent. Culture is also fluid and ever-changing, he says.  

We also reflect on the presidency of Donald Trump and explore why his anti-immigration message resonated so strongly with the American electorate, and why Joe Biden has been reluctant to re-open America's borders.

TIMESTAMPS 

(00:00) Intro 

(00:23) Alex Nowrasteh on the economic benefits of immigration 

(02:33) Alex Nowrasteh on political opposition to immigration 

(04:23) Alex Nowrasteh on the different categories of immigrants 

(08:48) Alex Nowrasteh on cultural integration 

(15:16) Alex Nowrasteh on the problems with government immigration policy 

(22:57) Alex Nowrasteh on the cultural effects of globalisation 

(25:57) Alex Nowrasteh on security risks arising from immigration 

(32:25) Alex Nowrasteh on Donald Trump's immigration policy 

(35:36) Alex Nowrasteh on Joe Biden's immigration policy 

(38:02) Alex Nowrasteh on safely liberalising immigration policy 

(45:00) Alex Nowrasteh on whether poor countries should open their borders 

(49:59) Alex Nowrasteh on how policymakers should approach immigration  

VIDEO

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RESOURCES  

Alex Nowrasteh bio