IO Podcast | Episode 59
Simon Hankinson, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, joined the Impunity Observer podcast to discuss his recent major report on the US asylum system. Hankinson contends the prevailing asylum laws, designed during World War II, are outdated. This was an era when political persecution was largely driven by Nazi persecution of Jews. Later updates also stemmed from the ideological clash between communism and capitalism during the Cold War.
Today’s reality, he explains, is vastly different. The majority of asylum seekers are economic migrants, and the system is overwhelmed with a massive backlog of requests, making it unmanageable. As a solution, Hankinson recommends adopting elements of Australia’s immigration model, particularly its strict prohibition on asylum claims from individuals arriving illegally by boat. He also stresses the need for setting a cap on asylum requests to prevent further strain on the system.
Recommended Links
- Follow Simon Hankinson on X.
- “What Has Enabled Open Season for Illegal Migration,” Impunity Observer.
- “Why Illegal Immigration to the United States Has Ballooned,” Impunity Observer.
