Some 73 years ago we voted in a democratic socialist regime that created a system of entitlements. In other words, we voted ourselves government checks. We compounded it by expanding entitlements in the Sixties. The party we voted in made a living of creating new and expanded entitlements and created a whole ethos of entitlement.
But somebody has to pay. The culture of entitlement requires a constantly expanding population to keep up with the transfer payments. As the nation transitioned from an agricultural to an industrial base, and when it transitioned from an industrial to an informational base, the birthrate naturally went down both times. So we opened the Mexican border wide. This permitted the system of transfer payments to be actuarially sound. The Europeans faced the same problem. Not having Mexico on their borders, they imported half the Middle East.
As long as the newcomers were willing to assimilate, or even take their position in the national salad bowl, things worked. But now, both here and in Europe, the immigrants don’t want to assimilate. They want ownership and control. Europe is seeing terrorism from these people, and we’re not too far behind, I fear.
But if we close the borders and purge the illegals, then who will pay for our entitlements? Brutally put, if we put an end to illegal immigration, the New Deal, Great Society and Compassionate Conservatism regimes all collapse. We’re back to the pre-Progressive Era circa 1901. While I think there is a lot to be said for that, how will Americans react when their government checks stop coming?
---But if we close the borders and purge the illegals, then who will pay for our entitlements?---
Legal immigrants.
"how will Americans react when their government checks stop coming?"
Do most people get more than they pay, I doubt it.