What if the United States began charging $50,000 a person for the legal right to immigrate? Nobel laureate Gary Becker, who came up with the idea, acknowledges it may be considered “repugnant” now. But he also says it could stanch the flood of illegal immigration, draw more skilled workers here, and even raise revenue for the country.
Becker’s not trying to eject illegal workers; in fact, he said, they could pay to stay. The idea is to upend the existing black market that exacts a much higher price for illegal immigrants — some who pay with their lives.
I could live with that. I'd still prefer it to be free, but unfortunately the political climate nowadays won't permit it. The thing I don't like it that it seems to say that immigrants can come as long as those who came first are compensated to somehow make up for the loss they will (presumably) experience.
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