Laura Ingraham’s recent comments on immigration sent the media and political world into a frenzy. Like many other conservative beliefs that liberals abhor, Ingraham’s comments on demographic change and immigration were quickly labeled racist. Some on the Right also joined in, as scores of commentators and politicians denounced her monologue.
But the Fox News host was simply highlighting the potential long-term negative effects of demographic change. It’s a subject worth discussing, rather than jumping to call it racist — especially among young people who must consider what their future country will become.
[More: Laura Ingraham: Child detention facilities are ‘essentially summer camps’]
These comments from Laura Ingraham aren’t just racist, they’re wrong & shouldn’t have been aired by @FoxNews. This country was built by immigrants who worked hard to give their families better lives & our diversity makes our nation stronger. https://t.co/eWqXQJbSl0
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) August 9, 2018
Laura Ingraham has been a bigot since college. She was literally disciplined for targeting and harassing people as a college student. She’s a lifelong bigot.
— Shaun King (@shaunking) August 9, 2018
— Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) August 9, 2018
Speak for yourself, and every other last gasp of a dying gen, @IngrahamAngle. WE love this country’s diversity. https://t.co/2GijMcK6vA
— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 9, 2018
First, it should be noted that Ingraham made the comments in the context of borders, which is barely mentioned by the media outlets that covered her monologue. After her controversial statement, Ingraham lamented that because of the aforementioned demographic changes, many leftists no longer care about borders and take up extreme positions on immigration (some want to abolish Immigration and Custom Enforcement and abolish borders). It’s not racist to argue that increasing immigrant populations has and will force elected officials to move further left by supporting open borders, sanctuary cities, and increased taxpayer spending for illegal immigrant initiatives. Additionally, it’s not a stretch to believe that the support and implementation of extremely liberal immigration policies is easily an example of how “the country’s changed,” as Ingraham put it.
The thought of open borders and sanctuary cities a decade ago was unfathomable. Now, these ideas are commonplace in the Democratic Party.
Secondly, and more importantly, there are several factors that constitute demographics. It’s a lot more than just race and ethnicity. The Census Bureau includes factors such as language, education, socioeconomics, and income as demographic measurements.
As a nation grows, it goes through demographic changes. The question is, at what point is this demographic change too much? Is massive demographic change being forced upon the population at a rate and in a time frame that makes assimilation impossible?
One could argue that it is, as quadrupling the country’s immigrant population since 1970, and doubling it since 1990, will clearly have significant effects on a country.
Demographic change is like anything else in life. If done in moderation and within reason it can be positive, but too much can problematic.
Take the demographic factor of language in my hometown of Miami, for example. One of the primary issues caused by the demographic change in Miami has been the creation of a language barrier. Many businesses in the city, from restaurants to shops, have employees who only speak Spanish, despite having lived in the United States for several years. It is also commonplace to find billboards and signs written in Spanish only. This has been allowed because pocketed mass migration did not encourage assimilation or learning English in Miami.
Some will dismiss this case because Miami has been this way for decades. True, but what happens when this begins to occur in other areas of the country? Take the small town of Hazleton, Penn., for example. In a matter of 10 years, the Hispanic population has risen from a mere 5 percent of the population to more than 50 percent. In that same time frame, the city was forced to increase its education budget to provide for the hundreds of students who lack proficiency in English and must take English-as-a-second-language classes.
Do any of Ingraham’s critics really want to live in a city where a large portion of the residents struggle to speak English? Where speaking with your fellow neighbors is a challenge? How can society function in such a scenario?
According to Pew Research, 50 percent of all immigrants are not proficient in English. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that among immigrants who went on to become naturalized citizens, at least one-third are functionally illiterate. Yet shockingly, Americans are told that diversity makes us stronger.
Language is just one example. Take the socioeconomic factor. Since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, California has had the highest numerical increase in foreign-born residents at 10.3 million. In the same time frame, California has become the state with the highest poverty rate, with 1 in 5 Californians living in poverty. The middle class is also fleeing California in droves.
How about education? Pew Research also found that adult illegal immigrants are “disproportionately likely to be poorly educated,” with 47 percent having less than a high school education.
These are not coincidences. They are demonstrating demographic change that politicians and pundits believe is racist to discuss.
It’s clear the country is changing, and young Americans should pay attention: They and their children are the ones that will have to live with the changes to come. The next generation of Americans should ask themselves if they want to live in a country that faces language barriers, significant socioeconomic problems, education gaps, and extreme wealth inequality, which are all tied in part to immigration? If the answer is “no,” then the time to speak is now. Without an honest discussion on the issue, young Americans will never be able to turn the tide that’s coming.
Eduardo Neret (@eduneret) is a contributor to Red Alert Politics. He is a senior at the University of Florida, where he runs the Daily Nerv, a student-run conservative online publication.
