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Immigration has been a touchstone of United States political debates for decades, and several cities claim to be at a “breaking point” as they struggle to absorb and support arrived migrants. But is there really a border crisis? And why are cities like New York unable to cope with the influx of migrants when their numbers are not unusual by historic standards? Have the Biden administration’s changes in asylum laws made a difference? Is there a “solution” to the migration “problem”? Avi Chomsky addresses these questions in an exclusive interview for Truthout.
Avi Chomsky is professor of history and coordinator of the Latin American studies program at Salem State University. She is the author of many books, including Is Science Enough? Forty Critical Questions About Climate Justice (2022); Central America’s Forgotten History: Revolution, Violence, and the Roots of Migration (2021); “They Take Our Jobs!”: And 20 Other Myths about Immigration (2007); and Undocumented: How Immigration Became […]
Excellent article. It covers almost all of the essential points regarding the problems of migration. That stated, it would have been more helpful to frame the issues involved within the context of empire. It makes the issues more understandable for the public at large. The author makes it appear that changes in administration and party may change the trajectory when this is not the case. Democrats and Republican alike have been supportive of policies in central america to exploit the land and population to benefit major corporations for decades. It’s not as if there are major disagreements between the parties as to the end goals. One party may appear more compassionate and less overtly neo-liberal but that it a superficial distinction only. For more information and context read “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”.
From the perspective of empire the process is very clear. You can see the same pattern play out over centuries, in multiple contexts. When you have an empire the resources always flow to the center of the empire, which in our case is the United States. People flow to the center of empire for jobs and opportunity. The heart of the empire is where the most influence is exerted, which in our case is the inside the beltway culture of Washington, DC. Everyone competes for access and influence. The fact that the managers of empire have continued to be so incompetent should be the main focus. For example, when Donald Trump moved to decentralize the Agriculture Department the elites were furious, and horrified. Being physically close to the people and issues being managed makes sense, but that wasn’t the point. The point was, you may manage affairs in Boise, but you don’t want to live there, and you certainly don’t want your kids educated there. It’s all a matter of access, prestige, and power. That’s how empire works.