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Feeding the Gulag?
The new Secretary of State has opined that the US should allow Hong Kong refugees from Beijing’s repression to come to the United States. It is my opinion that most of those refugees fleeing communist repression might just have a bias toward Liberty. Given what the new regime has planned for the freedom-lovers already here (total repression), might they just be inviting in their sworn enemies? Might they just be inviting in, people like the ones they have already defined as “domestic terrorists” and destined for the internal US gulag?
I am in favor of all Hong Kongers being offered asylum in the US as soon as possible, before the Communists prevent their leaving entirely. I would just hate to see them all subjected to exactly what they left Hong Kong to get away from.
Published in Immigration
Michael Yon just posted an impassioned plea that we do just that.
We wouldn’t happen to have an extradition treaty with the PRC, would we? That would be really bad.
I checked Ray and the answer is no.
I like the idea of benefiting from a Hong Kong brain drain, but I’d like to know what the PRC operative-to-refugee rate will be.
They’re already sending over plenty via the Confucius Societies and foreign students enrolled at our universities. Then there’s Mlle. Fang Fang. It’s worth thinking about, but not worth worrying about.
This is timely and great post.
Our country has greatly benefited from the addition of the Vietnamese “Boat People” and Cuban refugees. Freedom loving, educated, entrepreneurial people are a welcome addition to our country.
I disagree. It does not seem at all reasonable to allow something like 7.5 million people into our country. That would be a huge influx, with incalculable effects. Some effects would probably be good, some bad. For one thing, what would it do to our housing market?
It seems quite lacking in analysis to assume that absolutely everyone in HK is a great person, and would contribute mightily to the US. I imagine that some would, and some wouldn’t.
What are the criteria for giving this great treatment to HK? Many people are oppressed throughout the world. Even many in other parts of China. Are we to admit them all?
No, that would be impossible. They would probably number in the billions.
If we don’t let in all of them, where do you draw the line? This becomes the problem. I strongly recommend Douglas Murray’s book The Strange Death of Europe on this point.
Frankly, I find this approach to look like unrealistic virtue-signaling, without thinking through the ramifications. It may be a good idea to offer a refuge so some people. I’m in a rather anti-immigration mood right now, not out of any dislike for immigrants in principle, but because we’re having enough cultural problems without exacerbating them through an influx of foreigners.
You know, it is often free-market libertarian-types who object to policies that have no limiting principle. What is the limiting principle applicable to the people of HK, or others who are oppressed throughout the world? I do find the “limiting principle” concept to be unsophisticated, as it’s usually a question of balancing competing interests, rather than drawing a bright line. But even so, we should be considering the balance of interests.
There seems to be no consideration of these issues.
And don’t tell me that the HKers are good capitalists. They may well be, and that’s better than being a ChiCom. But there is much more to culture than free-market economics.
I agree. Not only that. Asian-Americans earn, on average, higher per capita incomes than other Americans. Also, Asian-Americans have lower rates of crime and divorce than other Americans.
As Paul McCartney sang in the mid-1970s: Let ’em in.
I particularly like your comment, HW. As if we should base immigration policy on silly songs by former Beatles.
I know that you did say more. You base it on averages, of “Asian Americans” broadly. You address nothing about the potential problems in the housing market, the labor market, the schools, other infrastructure, and myriad other portions of our complex nation and economy if we allow 7.5 million — 7.5 MILLION!!! — people into the country.
How would you even put a roof over their head?
Do you not think that they might displace some American workers?
But no, all of you, virtue-signal away. This is why we lose politically.
President Trump correctly gauged the attitude of the bulk of the American people — and especially of Republicans — on the issue of immigration. But no, you all decide to side with Biden’s SecState. Without giving it more than a moment’s thought, as far as I can tell, as your arguments are all feel-good platitudes and cliches.
We haven’t even considered the negative effect that this policy may have on China. If there’s ever going to be change in China, it will require brave people to oppose their wicked regime. It is not an easy task, and I do not envy them the persecution that they will face. But if we give them an outlet, it is less likely that the pressures will build inside China that could actually lead to some improvement.
Who would you rather have? The wealthy, productive, skilled Hong Kongers, or the poor, unskilled Mexicans and Central Americans already massing at our southern border waiting to cross illegally at Biden’s invitation?
We can absorb the HKers with no problem.
I have.
On the first point, please explain how we could absorb 7.5 million people “with no problem.” Please cite any prior examples of large, short-term immigration at anywhere near this level.
I would rather have neither, which is the result under current law.
I dislike our new President’s policy toward Mexican immigration, and I dislike his policy toward HK immigration. There is one minor caveat to this, which is that I have not heard or read a statement by the President himself on the issue, but rather from his SecState, which I assume represents administration policy.
7.5 million, the vast majority of which are educated to a higher level than the average American?
So you’re staying they’ll steal all the jobs Mexican immigrants aren’t skilled enough for? ;)
Compete maybe. Not steal.
No, the Hong Kongers will start their own companies and maybe employ all the Mexicans, teach them to be hard workers and conservatives, and drive the Democrats crazy when their imports vote them out of office.
What? Making solar panels? And taking those jobs from American ex-oil pipeline workers!?