580. The True Story of America’s Supremely Messed-Up Immigration System

How did a nation of immigrants come to hate immigration? We start at the beginning, sort through the evidence, and explain why your grandfather was lying about Ellis Island. (Part one of a three-part series .) SOURCES: Leah Boustan , professor of economics at Princeton University. Zeke Hernandez , professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Roger Nam , professor of Hebrew Bible at Emory University. RESOURCES: The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers , by Zeke Hernandez (2024, available for pre-order). " The Refugee Advantage: English-Language Attainment in the Early Twentieth Century ," by Ran Abramitzky, Leah Platt Boustan, Peter Catron, Dylan Connor, and Rob Voigt ( NBER Working Paper, 2023). Streets of Gold: America's Untold Story of Immigrant Success , by Leah Boustan and Ran Abramitzky (2022). " If Liberals Won't Enforce Borders, Fascists Will ," by David Frum ( The Atlantic, 2019). EXTRAS: " Is Migration a Basic Human Right? " by Freakonomics Radio (2015). " Who Are the Most Successful Immigrants in the World? " by Freakonomics Radio (2013). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.