LOOK LEFT, LOOK RIGHT, STEP FORWARD by The Gent

Immigration has become one of our sharpest divides. On one side, voices like Stephen Miller’s argue that our immigration system is broken. It enables fraud, divided loyalties, tax evasion, and exploitation in labor and sex trafficking. On the other side, supporters of immigrants remind us that newcomers are not our problem; they are our promise. They build our economy, they enrich our culture, and they carry forward the very idea of America.

Critics argue that when immigrants live with “one foot in America and one foot abroad,” sending money away while resisting assimilation, national unity is lost. They point to cases of tax evasion, scams, and the criminal abuse of immigration loopholes. They highlight the very real suffering of immigrants trapped in exploitative workplaces or in trafficking rings. Finally, they warn that without a common language, without English, America fragments into separate communities rather than one nation.

But, immigrants add billions of dollars in taxes, fill jobs that keep our farms running, our homes built, and our restaurants open. Assimilation is not a myth. The children of immigrants nearly always speak fluent English, attend our schools, and become the doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. And when it comes to exploitation, let’s be clear: immigrants are far more often the victims. They deserve protection, not punishment. Above all, America is strongest when it lives up to its humanitarian ideals. It must welcome those fleeing persecution, poverty, or violence and offer them a chance at dignity and freedom.

Both sides can agree that fraud and trafficking must be stopped. Both can agree that learning English and contributing to society are essential. Both can agree that the system should be fair, transparent, and accountable. The real debate is not whether to have immigration, but how to shape it in a way that BOTH secures our nation and honors its history.

America must resist the false choice between open borders and closed doors. The balanced path is clear: protect against abuse, enforce the law, but also recognize and celebrate the vast contributions immigrants make every single day. That is not just a compromise. That is the “American Way.” JG