I’m interested to hear how people here view the motivations behind immigration (not only whether someone entered here legally or illegally, or what immigration policy should be).
I’ve seen a wide spectrum of opinions among Trump supporters about why immigrants come here. Some explanations are relatively sympathetic, while others are much more distrustful. Despite those differences, many seem to result in a similarly strict view of border control. I’m curious about the reasoning that comes before that policy position.
When you picture an immigrant coming to the United States, why do you think they came? What do you imagine they are leaving behind, and what do you think they hope to find here?
Where does your own understanding fall within that spectrum?
Bonus question: Is your view influenced by what you know about immigration or migration within your own family history? This can be anything as recent as your parents or can even reach back to the founding of the country!