If immigration benefits host countries, why is there so much anti-immigrant backlash in countries which have recently received high immigration levels?
Pushing for more open borders, given the current immigration sentiment, seems quite foolish. The only way to do it is either to apply ever-more-stringent illiberal/anti-democratic measures: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/europe-free-speech-republicans/683915/ Or else, to find a way to achieve immigration in a way that makes it actually popular, so you can achieve the necessary democratic mandate. (For example, encourage a housing buildout well in advance of immigration liberalization, so rents don't skyrocket when the immigrants come. Track immigrant crime and automatically screen immigrants who are deemed high-risk. Etc.)
If immigration benefits host countries, why is there so much anti-immigrant backlash in countries which have recently received high immigration levels?
Pushing for more open borders, given the current immigration sentiment, seems quite foolish. The only way to do it is either to apply ever-more-stringent illiberal/anti-democratic measures: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/europe-free-speech-republicans/683915/ Or else, to find a way to achieve immigration in a way that makes it actually popular, so you can achieve the necessary democratic mandate. (For example, encourage a housing buildout well in advance of immigration liberalization, so rents don't skyrocket when the immigrants come. Track immigrant crime and automatically screen immigrants who are deemed high-risk. Etc.)