Progressives Should Lead on Immigration
We have to stop letting Republicans define the narrative
For far too long, progressives have played defense on immigration, allowing conservatives to dominate the narrative with fear-based rhetoric and misinformation. Instead of making a strong, affirmative case for the economic benefits of immigration, many Democrats have retreated into a politics of fear. This retreat has allowed anti-immigrant voices to define the terms of the debate. It’s time for progressives to challenge the alarmist rhetoric from Republicans about a so-called immigration crisis, and re-define immigration as an opportunity rather than a threat. Democrats need to go on offense, to make the bold, unapologetic case that immigrants are essential to revitalizing the American economy, especially in struggling small towns and critical industries.
One of the greatest untold stories in American life is how immigrants are breathing new life into rural communities and small towns across the country. In places like Kansas, Iowa, and Ohio, immigrant entrepreneurs are opening restaurants, grocery stores, and repair shops, creating jobs and rebuilding tax bases in towns that have seen decades of population decline. In places where young people have moved away and Main Streets have shuttered, immigrants are leading the path towards economic recovery. If Democrats leaned into this narrative, they could offer a vision of economic renewal grounded in inclusion and opportunity rather than fear and exclusion.
Critics often claim immigrants take jobs or strain public resources. But the reality is quite the opposite. Immigrants are disproportionately represented among small business owners, creating jobs for others while contributing to local and state tax revenues. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, immigrants are nearly twice as likely as native-born Americans to start a business. These businesses range from construction firms to childcare centers. Immigrants generate wealth and provide the backbone for thriving communities. We need to take back the debate on immigration, and stop playing defense to extremist fearmongering and xenophobia.
Immigrants are key to solving some of the most pressing labor shortages America faces. From transportation infrastructure to housing construction, from early childhood education to elderly care, the U.S. is experiencing a shortage of skilled and semi-skilled workers. These immediate crises with real-world consequences for hard working Americans. Democrats should be championing a modern immigration system that meets these labor demands with a humane and economically sound policy framework. Immigrants want to work, and America desperately needs their skills.
This is especially important for the local economy here in Manhattan. Kansas State University relies on being able to attract the best and brightest teachers and students to its campus. Immigration should be at the forefront of efforts to combat the enrollment cliff that threatens regional colleges and universities, as well as the local economies that they support. Immigrants make up a huge part of the workforce of college towns. Trump’s immigration policy threatens the livelihood of all people in Manhattan.
Contrast this with Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, which promises sweeping deportations, restrictive visa caps, and a culture of fear that will only worsen existing labor shortages. Already, the agriculture, logistics, and home-building sectors are sounding alarms over a dwindling workforce. If Trump’s plans are enacted, supply chain disruptions will increase, housing costs will rise even further, and small businesses—particularly in red states—will suffer. This is not just inhumane policy; it’s economic sabotage.
The Republican party has succeeded in convincing working class Americans that immigrants are stealing their opportunity, in order to line the pockets of the millionaires and billionaires that continue to prop up the GOP. It’s time to change the narrative. We have to stop letting a mindset of scarcity dictate how we treat other human beings in need. People are not problems to be solved; people are the solution to the problems that we face. We can build more houses. We can build more schools. We can care for more of the elderly and the sick. We can do all of these things if we start from a mindset of abundance rather than a mindset that says my opportunities come at the expense of other people.
Progressives need to stop ceding ground and start telling the truth: immigration is not a problem to be managed—it is a powerful tool for economic revitalization. The sooner Democrats embrace this message, the sooner they can build a coalition that is not only morally just but economically smart and politically winning. Will they have the courage to lead?
Indivisible MHK is meeting at City Park across from City Hall from 12:30 - 1:30 on 6/14. Then, we will be carpooling to the Topeka Capitol to join with thousands of Kansans at 3pm to remind our lawmakers of the power of the People. If you need a ride to Topeka, please DM us for info on carpooling!
I’m a coordinator with KS50501. I look forward to seeing you and hopefully thousands of other Kansans on June 14th.