Immigration Question

I respect the fact this nation was founded by people who could be labeled immigrants, and that much of the population growth in the first 150 or so years came from immigration. I am enamored with the concepts of "melting pot" and "American Dream." Unfortunately, I do think that it's becoming somewhat clear this country no longer possesses adequate resources to support unfettered immigration, coasting or non-coasting.

My brother is a Libertarian, and he likes the idea of having folks receive a tax ID number when they arrive at the border. I'd have to say, that's better than nothing. At least there's some possibility they will be paying into the system that will be taking care of them.

 

While the US is considering imigration at the moment, here is something from Sweden that is currently happening:

BBC News - Sweden riots spread beyond Stockholm despite extra police

Not an easy issue anywhere.

 

You're going to run into this sort of thing anywhere there is a large immigrant population that does not assimilate to the new culture. Countries throughout Europe are experiencing similar situations in their Muslim immigrant populations.

 

I think all countries have some difficulties with it, but the US certainly has great experience dealing with immigrants. Sweden is not a place that I would have thought to have difficulties, but clearly they do. The "immigrant population" consists of around 15 percent of the population which would be a massive, massive riot so it may be a very active small number or isolated to discrete areas.

The term " immigrant community" is a very broad and conotes cohesion in the group which I very much doubt that there would be. I would think that not all immigrants would be ethnically or politically the same or even similar. I would hesitate to use the words "immigrant community" because immediately you are dividing the population into two groups with all the attendant problems that come from stereotyping and retaliation.

It does not take much to do a lot of damage to property or the social fabric of an area, unless wise and cool heads get talking. Sometimes it can be about the internal politics of the particular community involved in the rioting with one group wanting to demonstrate power. How the media deal with it will either be a "force multiplier" or a "fire extinguisher". The media need to drill down and get the facts and issues accurate as failure to do so may have potential to spread community fear a long way, and, alternatively, if they ignore it then they may make the situation worse as well as they are vacating the ground to social media.