Solutions with Henry Blodget Most Americans Support Legal Immigration. Why Can't We Enact Clear Policy?
Apr 6, 2026
Alexander Kustov, a political science professor who studies migration and wrote In Our Interest. He discusses why immigration policy is so hard, how selectivity and clear rules could build support, comparisons with other countries, and practical reforms like targeted high-skilled visas, orderly refugee reception, and depoliticizing the system.
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Nativist Minority Became Politically Powerful
- A small, vocal nativist minority shifted into the Republican coalition under Trump, amplifying anti-immigrant policies.
- Kustov says this faction explains why popular pro-immigration preferences don't translate into policy.
Fear Outweighs Evidence In Immigration Attitudes
- Opposition to immigration is multi-causal: racism, loss aversion, and salient negative events shape fears more than data.
- Kustov points out people overweight rare violent incidents despite data showing immigrants commit fewer crimes per capita.
Show Order And Integration To Earn Public Trust
- Build public confidence by showing immigration is orderly, selective, and integrated, not by denying realities.
- Kustov cites Canada: transparent visa routes, integration expectations, and predictable rules make immigration popular.
