Most people trying to escape from the horrors of Haiti don’t go to Cuba. They risk the much longer journey and try to get to Florida. People fleeing violence in Honduras don’t move to Mexico they want to get to Texas I could give you a few more examples but the point is clear when people get the courage to leave their homes, communities and families they chose a place that they think offers the best opportunities for safety, security and living a decent life.
So migration gives us a window into what people think about other places relative to where they are now. Only Marxists and intellectuals want to go and live in Cuba. The same Marxists and intellectuals may scorn the United States but it is the number one destination for migrants from around the world. Why because it offers some of the best opportunities for living a full life. Allowing more migration in the world would cause massive depopulation of places like Haiti, North Korea and I suspect Iran.
So the bonus of allowing more migration is that people voting with their feet will let us know what countries are treating their citizens and their new arrivals well.
This sunset is from a beach in Maui last December.