Why Do Some Immigrants Oppose Immigration?

The Curious Case of “I Got Mine, So Shut the Door”

Photo by Fabian Fauth on Unsplash

The United States of America: the land of the free, the home of the brave — and the place where basically everyone (unless you’re Indigenous) is the descendant of immigrants. Yet here we are, in the 21st century, where some immigrants are for stricter immigration policies. Even people who came here through a relatively straightforward process, like winning the Green Card lottery, sometimes want to close the door behind them. How does that make any sense?

“I Got Mine, So Shut the Door”

Let me take you back to the day of the Harris vs. Trump debate — about 30 minutes before it started, to be exact. I decided to take my dog, Hunter, out for a quick walk so I could settle in for the debate without any interruptions. And that’s when I ran into two neighbors standing outside our building, chatting about the usual neighborhood stuff.

Photo by Mathyas Kurmann on Unsplash

Here’s the thing about my neighborhood: it’s super diverse. Most of my neighbors are immigrants, and I’ve always loved how everyone has a different story to tell. What started as some light conversation…