The Left loves to say, “This country was built on the backs of immigrants,” in response to ICE initiatives and deportation measures. However, a colonial-era immigrant — or even a 20th-century immigrant — is not remotely similar to the modern immigrant because of the rise of social media.
Before the internet and services such as WhatsApp, the choice to move to America was a massive life decision. It often meant saying goodbye permanently. It forced people to leave behind everything they knew: family, politics, heritage, food, and culture. Immigrants came to America knowing that it was unlikely they would ever see their homeland again. Even if an immigrant hated America, those severed ties forced him to confront the reality that there was no going back.
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Early immigrants came to America with a purpose: to start a new life. That is American — entering a new world with nothing and building a life through hard work and grit. Those are the kinds of people who built the nation we love today. They were forced to immerse themselves in American culture because returning home was rarely feasible. Our nation is great because they chose to invest in what was often their only option: America.
Immigration today has been dramatically changed by the rise of social media. Immigrants no longer have to say goodbye. With three clicks on a phone, they can be transported back home. They can see everything they left behind in the palms of their hands.
Social media reinforces the bonds immigrants have with their homelands. This can make assimilation into American culture more difficult and less appealing because there is no longer the same necessity to forsake the world they know.
“We have better vibes, food, music, culture, history — literally all of the above. We just move here because we are looking to make more money,” one immigrant said on Instagram.
The truth is that immigrants do not necessarily need to assimilate into American culture. Our nation does not have to become their home. An immigrant can use America as a get-rich-quick scheme because they are able to return home whenever they want. Whether through her phone or a quick plane ride, she does not need to assimilate. She can love America — but not in the same way she loves her homeland.
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The implications of this change must be recognized. The political landscape shifts when a significant share of the population loves a foreign nation more than this one. We see this play out in debates over foreign aid and in the percentage of immigrants who eventually return home. Studies show that almost 40% of immigrants return to their countries of origin within a decade. What was once a rare occurrence now happens every day.
America should be for Americans. This nation cannot sustain itself if it is treated as a get-rich-quick scheme by illegal immigrants who have no plans to stay.
