If we want to attract extraordinary, courageous, capable individuals to the United States, we should look no further than those who had the wherewithal to come to our shores and request asylum.

In a climate of distrust of agencies, it may only take a few short steps from Jarkesy to a claim that “immigration judges” (really Department of Justice personnel) should have the power to make such terrible decisions. The vehicle might be Due Process rather than the Seventh Amendment, but we could all imagine the jurisprudential evolution that could make it possible.

But why do we think we need to be More than we are, have more than we have? And why do we think that focusing on feelings of emptiness will lead us to someday feel full?

Haley’s sleight-of-hand has a long history (immigrants = criminals; fighting crime = cutting off immigration). It doesn’t take much to spot the logic error there.