# What if we went back to early 20th century immigration policy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-went-back-to-early-20th-century-immigration-policy/989076>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 25, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-went-back-to-early-20th-century-immigration-policy/989076 "2023-08-25T13:43:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 117

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**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-we-went-back-to-early-20th-century-immigration-policy/989076/117 "2023-08-30T19:23:53Z")

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> [@CaveMike](#):
>
> Someone might argue that unrestricted immigration would result in a collapse of the system and no one would be better off, but I think the OP is so far in the hypothetical that a practical argument isn’t useful.

Fair enough. I know the thread title proposal isn’t happening.

I think the most likely alternatives are:

a. Continuing paralysis

b. Compromise comprehensive immigration reform passed by a narrowly divided Congress and signed by second-term Joe Biden

c. War with Mexico that includes, as common in war, the locking down of borders

The last is all too realistic and a reason why any swing voters here, uninterested in new wars, should vote Democratic this cycle. [Consider:](https://thehill.com/latino/4170236-gop-talk-of-military-action-in-mexico-sparks-dire-warnings/)

> [@](#):
>
> Wednesday’s Republican presidential primary debate featured high-stakes policy disagreements on a range of issues from abortion to the environment — but found near-unanimous consensus on the idea of using American military force to fight drug smuggling and migration. . . .
> 
> Florida Gov. [Ron DeSantis](https://thehill.com/people/ron-desantis/)made the strongest pledge on the stage with his response to Fox News moderator [Martha MacCallum’s](https://thehill.com/people/martha-maccallum/)question asked whether he would support sending U.S. special forces into Mexico to “take out fentanyl labs, to take out drug cartel operations.”
> 
> “Yes. And I will do it on day one,” said DeSantis.
> 
> The governor’s eagerness reflects a growing normalization of the idea, which Republicans have embraced from the campaign trail to the halls of Congress.
> 
> Even more moderate GOP candidates such as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott have suggested support for some version of unilateral military action across the Rio Grande.

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