My family came here legally, like most immigrants of the prior century. They spent time in quarantine on Ellis Island and had to have a sponsor to be granted the opportunity to stay. Every single one of them naturalized and raised "American" children. I was raised to be an American by the descendants of people who left their native countries to become American. I don't consider myself Italian or Dutch or English.
The immigration system has been all fucked up since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. We went from a quota system to, 'fuck it - let everyone in.'
As previously stated I am pro-immigration and open borders and see it as a benefit to the country. Remove all welfare (to everyone) and let private charities fund any assistance to immigrants. Then the argument about them stealing benefits is null and void.
This is pretty much the same issue that occurs every time one particular group is immigrating to the US in mass. Irish, Chinese, Italians, and others have all caused this sort of nativism to occur. And guess what, most of those groups successfully assimilate into American culture within a generation or two. It's already happening with the children of Hispanic immigrants (the ones who actually settled down).
let private charities fund any assistance to immigrants.
Sounds like a good way to let foreign countries financially promote mass immigration to cause large swings in voting bases in a different country. Almost like election meddling.
Our immigration system is a joke. I can't understand why it's controversial that Trump wants to end catch and release and birthright citizenship. Those two changes alone would end a significant amount of illegal immigration both from border crossers and visa overstayers. Anyone that supports those policies truly wants to see this country collapse.