On October 29th, Vice President J.D. Vance called for a slowdown in legal immigration at a Turning Point USA event. While he avoided specifics, he emphasized that, “We have to get the overall numbers way, way down.”
His remarks came under fire from one woman in the audience who asked: “And when you talk about too many immigrants here, when did you guys decide that number? Why did you sell us a dream? How can you as a vice president stand there and say that ‘We have too many of them now, and we are going to take them out’ to people who are here rightfully so by paying the money that you guys asked us? You gave us the path and now how can you stop it and tell us we don’t belong here anymore?”
This was an incredible series of questions – one that Vice President Vance was wholly unprepared for.
Fortunately for him, as a philosopher who works on issues of immigration and as a first-generation US-American, I am ready and willing to pick up his slack – you owe me one, J.D.!
“And when you talk about too many immigrants here, when did you guys decide that number?” From the start.
Even as a candidate, Trump was already committed to the idea that immigrants – particularly people of color from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean – were not welcomed.
For the most part, he hid the full extent of his anti-immigrant sentiment by distinguishing “illegal alien gang members” and “bad hombres” from “legal immigrants.” For instance, in his 2019 State of the Union address, he remarked, “We have a moral duty to create an immigration system that protects the lives and jobs of our citizens. This includes our obligation to the millions of immigrants living here today who followed the rules and respected our laws. Legal immigrants enrich our nation and strengthen our society in countless ways.”
Sometimes, however, the veil would lift, such as his Muslim bans or when he referred to Haiti as a “shithole country.” But now the pretense is over. On the very first day of President Trump’s second term, he issued Executive Order 14160 curtailing birthright citizenship, under certain conditions, to those who are legally entitled to it.
Legality was never the concern. That’s why House Republicans are pushing to denaturalize and deport Zohran Mamdani. Neither was it being born in the US. That’s why American-born Omar Fateh is still lambasted as being “not actually an American.” This is why more than 170 US citizens have been detained by immigration agents – a reality that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem refuses to acknowledge.
When it comes to immigration, acceptance is quite literally a black and white issue.
“Why did you sell us a dream?” Money.
Immigrants, whether documented or not, and their children contribute tremendously to the US. This is true as consumers. In 2016 alone, the purchasing power of immigrants contributed over a trillion dollars to the US GDP.
This is true as workers. Foreign-born workers account for approximately 18.6% of the US labor force, working primarily in construction, housekeeping, cooking, care aids, janitors and delivery drivers. Immigrants are so important to the workforce that the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest corporate lobbying group in the nation, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit challenged the $100,000 fee imposed by the administration on employers sponsoring foreign workers under the H-1B visa program.
This is true as taxpayers. In 2022, immigrants paid $382.9 billion in federal taxes and $196.3 billion in state and local taxes. In the same year, undocumented immigrants paid $25.7 billion in Social Security taxes, $6.4 billion in Medicare taxes, and $1.8 billion in unemployment insurance taxes.
Turns out, immigrants are truly awful … at being freeloaders.
“How can you as a vice president stand there and say that ‘We have too many of them now, and we are going to take them out’ to people who are here rightfully so by paying the money that you guys asked us?” Without hesitation.
Being “here rightfully” was always irrelevant. For the Trump administration, this is simple political calculus: do we benefit more from mass deportations and scapegoating immigrants, or from peddling the “American Dream”?
Mass deportations will not make the US safer, it won’t lower the price of eggs, it won’t help ‘real’ Americans find a job. But it will keep US-Americans afraid and distracted.
Immigrants are not costing you your job, but artificial intelligence and corporate greed are. Immigrants are not exploiting the tax system, but politicians and the ultrawealthy are. Immigrants are not a threat to the Constitution, but the Trump administration is.
What we need are real meaningful changes: building social safety nets, expanding access to healthcare, housing and education. These policies would help people. Deporting a small family only helps the Trump administration grow its police state.
“You gave us the path and now how can you stop it?” This is the American way!
Give them the path: ‘Go to college! The government will help with loan repayment and forgiveness!’
And now stop it: In July 2025, the Department of Education abruptly paused a student loan forgiveness program used by roughly 2 million borrowers. President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will begin phasing out the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE), Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) and Pay as You Earn (PAYE) student loan repayment plans. It will replace them with more expensive options.
Give them the path: ‘Pay into Social Security so you’ll be protected!’
And now stop it: In September 2025, the Urban Institute reported that the Social Security Administration (SSA) was preparing a proposed rule that would reduce the eligibility of new applicants for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) by up to 20%. In October 2025, President Trump warned that if the Democrats don’t approve funding then “they’re going to lose Medicaid, they’re going to lose Social Security, they’re going to lose Medicare.” This, despite the fact, that those benefits are largely unaffected by a shutdown.
“The American Dream” is perhaps the greatest bait-and-switch in human history. A real conman’s con. No wonder Trump won twice (or thrice if you ask him).
“How can you […] tell us we don’t belong here anymore?” Easily.
Under the Trump administration, the question of who belongs, of who has rights does not boil down to citizenship or legal status. Immigrant? Legal or not, doesn’t matter. Anyone can be labelled part of the “enemy within.” All of us are vulnerable. We can’t get distracted. Yesterday it was “illegals.” Today, it’s legal immigrants. But tomorrow they’ll need a new enemy, that could be you.