Trump says Immigrants “Have to Come Legally.” But is that even possible?

Most ancestors of American citizens today wouldn’t have fit the standard of “coming legally” into the country.
Most ancestors of American citizens today wouldn't have fit the standard of "coming legally" into the country. Bain News Service / Library of Congress
Most ancestors of American citizens today wouldn’t have fit the standard of “coming legally” into the country.
Most ancestors of American citizens today wouldn't have fit the standard of "coming legally" into the country. Bain News Service / Library of Congress

Trump says Immigrants “Have to Come Legally.” But is that even possible?

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Zealous immigration critics in America, including current President Donald Trump, argue the United States has the most lax immigration system in the world. They reject accusations of racism or xenophobia by maintain they want migrants to “get in line”, and apply for U.S. residency status through established channels. On Wednesday, amid a cabinet briefing about the government shutdown and proposed border wall, President Trump said, “we want people coming into our country, we need people to come into the country, but they have to do it legally.” Some scholars contend this legal immigration argument is a fallacy. David Bier is an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity. He joins Worldview to detail the various roadblocks and idiosyncrasies of America’s immigration system, which he believes exposes the “myth” of legal immigration to America.