You're absolutely right that immigration is central to the American story. My family has an immigration story too, and most Americans do. But here's the distinction that often gets blurred: virtually no one in mainstream politics is against immigration itself. The debate is about illegal immigration and whether we enforce our own laws.

The United States admits over 1 million legal immigrants per year — more than any other nation on Earth. In fiscal year 2022, the U.S. issued over 1.18 million green cards. We accept more refugees and grant more asylum cases than most countries. America is, by any objective measure, the most welcoming country in the world to immigrants.

The concern is about the estimated 2.4 million encounters at the southern border in fiscal year 2023 alone, according to CBP data. These are people entering without going through the legal process — a process that exists to screen for criminal records, communicable diseases, and national security threats.

Conflating legal and illegal immigration is a rhetorical trick that shuts down legitimate debate. When someone says they oppose illegal immigration, responding with 'we're a nation of immigrants' is like responding to concerns about shoplifting by saying 'we're a nation of shoppers.'

Every country in the world enforces its borders. Mexico deports more Central Americans than the U.S. does. Canada has a strict points-based immigration system. Australia turns back boats. Japan has almost no immigration at all. No one calls these countries racist or anti-immigrant.

We can have a generous, compassionate immigration system — and we already do — while also insisting that people follow the law. Wanting orderly, legal immigration isn't anti-immigrant. It's pro-rule-of-law, which is actually what protects immigrants who come here the right way.

The people most hurt by illegal immigration are legal immigrants who waited years and spent thousands of dollars to do things properly.