Excluding Immigrants Will Weaken America

Published in Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei)
(Japan) on 23 April 2020
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Eric Stimson. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.
America has started to restrict its acceptance of immigrants. This would be understandable as an emergency measure to cut the movement of people as part of the containment of the new coronavirus pandemic; the problem is the statements made by President Donald Trump to the effect that new immigrants are pests who steal jobs from Americans.

The executive order that Trump signed halts the issuance of the visas known as green cards that allow their holders to live and work in America. Short-term work visas are not included, so it does not mean that employees of Japanese companies will immediately have to leave.

In March, the U.S. State Department halted interviews for new visa applicants as part of its measures against the coronavirus. The executive order could be considered a belated confirmation of this. The halt will last for 60 days.

But what is raising a commotion within the U.S. are anxieties that this is a first step toward a serious immigration exclusion.

If one looks at those who were born outside of America but currently live there in terms of race, most are Hispanics (of Central or South American origin) from Mexico and elsewhere. With his racist statements against them, Trump won the presidential election by attracting poor white people who compete with them for jobs.

At a press conference, Trump emphasized that “we must first take care of the American worker.” He said that whether the measures will be removed after 60 days depends on the employment situation then.

Trump hinted that he may not stop at impeding the flow of Hispanics, but also revoke green cards that have already been issued; could the regulations become permanent? If the sense of a “white nation” becomes clearer, it could deepen racial divisions and impair the stability of local communities.

America’s economic development has continued thanks to its acceptance of the skills new immigrants bring in. If it changes this national model, it is dubious whether its national power can be maintained. Trump should make his judgment by considering America’s future.


米国が移民の受け入れの制限を始めた。新型コロナウイルスの感染の封じ込めに向け、人の移動を減らすための緊急措置であれば理解できる。問題は、新たな移民は米国民から職を奪う邪魔者であるかのような発言をトランプ大統領がしていることだ。

トランプ氏が署名した大統領令によると、発給を停止したのは、米国に永住して働くことを認めるグリーンカードと呼ばれる査証(ビザ)だ。短期滞在用の労働ビザは含まれておらず、日本企業の駐在員が直ちに米国に滞在できなくなるわけではない。

米国務省はコロナ対策の一環として3月に新規ビザの審査の際の面接などを停止した。大統領令はその追認といえなくもない。停止期間は60日間である。

にもかかわらず、米国内で物議をかもしているのは、これが移民の本格的な排除の一歩になるのではないかと懸念する向きが少なくないからだ。

米国外で生まれ、現在は米国に住む人々を人種別にみると、最大勢力はメキシコなどから来たヒスパニック(中南米系)である。トランプ氏は彼らへの人種差別発言をすることで、職を奪い合う関係にある白人貧困層を引き付け、大統領選に勝利した。

トランプ氏は記者会見で「米国人の仕事を最優先にする」との考えを強調した。60日後に措置を解除するかどうかは、そのときの雇用情勢で判断するという。

ヒスパニックの流入阻止にとどまらず、すでに発給済みのグリーンカードの取り消しもあり得るとほのめかしてきたトランプ氏だけに、措置の恒久化もあるのではないか。「白人国家」の色彩が鮮明になれば、人種的な分断を深め、地域コミュニティーの安定を損なうことになろう。

新たな移民がもたらす才能を取り入れることで、米国は経済発展を続けてきた。そうした国柄を変えてしまえば、国力の維持はおぼつかない。トランプ氏は米国の将来を見通して判断すべきだ。
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