Jonathan Blitzer on How Immigration Became a Political Crisis—and How People Push Back
JUDJ-Prepared Summary from January 21, 2026 | Getting Beyond the Border: How Immigration Became a Political Crisis. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the speaker.
In a recent America at a Crossroads discussion, Jonathan Blitzer—a staff writer for The New Yorker and author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here—joined moderator Pat Morrison to examine how immigration moved from a long-standing American reality to a defining political “crisis,” and what history suggests about the power of public response.
A Familiar Story With a New Intensity
Morrison opened the conversation with a reminder that immigration has shaped the United States from its earliest days. Yet, as Blitzer observed, today’s moment feels different. Immigration debates have become uniquely politicized and theatrical, driven less by policy substance than by symbolic confrontation. The result is an atmosphere in which immigration is framed not as a complex social phenomenon, but as an existential threat.
How the “Crisis” Narrative Took Hold
Blitzer argued that immigration itself is not the crisis. By most measures, immigration benefits the economy and civic life and reflects a core part of America’s national identity. The crisis, he said, is political—built on myths about crime, chaos, and invasion that persist despite being repeatedly disproven. These myths gained traction as political leaders discovered how effectively fear could mobilize voters, particularly when opponents were reluctant to engage the issue’s complexity.
Getting Beyond the Border
A central theme of the discussion was the need to look past the border itself. Blitzer emphasized that migration from Central America is the endpoint of much longer stories involving regional instability, U.S. foreign policy, and asylum systems under strain. When those deeper causes are ignored, the border becomes a convenient stage for spectacle rather than a place to address underlying realities.
When Rhetoric Meets Human Reality
The phrase “mass deportation,” Blitzer noted, became so familiar during the campaign that it risked losing meaning. Polling suggested broad support, but that support often evaporates when people confront what such policies actually entail: families separated, workers disappearing from communities, and individuals deported to countries they barely know. The abstraction gives way to a human reckoning, and public attitudes can shift quickly once the consequences are visible.
Institutions Under Pressure
Blitzer warned that aggressive enforcement doesn’t just affect migrants—it reshapes institutions. Oversight weakens, transparency erodes, and legal systems designed to manage immigration lawfully become tools of enforcement themselves. Over time, that pressure extends outward, affecting journalists, lawyers, protesters, and public officials. Immigration enforcement, in this sense, becomes a testing ground for how far government power can stretch.
What Can People Do?
Audience questions reflected a sense of frustration and powerlessness. Blitzer acknowledged that feeling, but pushed back against despair. Public response, he said, still matters—especially when it emboldens elected officials who might otherwise avoid the issue. History shows that sustained civic engagement can alter political calculations, even when initial odds seem long.
A Lesson From the Sanctuary Movement
To close on a note of perspective, Blitzer pointed to the American Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s. Faced with asylum denials driven by Cold War politics, faith leaders and community members organized locally to protect refugees and force national attention on the issue. That grassroots effort reshaped public discourse and contributed to lasting legal change. Crucially, it did not begin in Washington—it began with ordinary people insisting that policy reflect moral and legal principles.
Looking Ahead
The discussion underscored a sobering reality: immigration policy is inseparable from democratic health. How the country defines a “crisis,” how it treats the people caught within it, and how citizens respond all help determine what kind of democracy endures. As Blitzer made clear, history suggests that public engagement—though imperfect and slow—remains one of the most powerful forces available.
About America at a Crossroads
Since April 2020, America at a Crossroads has produced weekly virtual programs on topics related to the preservation of our democracy, voting rights, freedom of the press, and a wide array of civil rights, including abortion rights, free speech, and free press. America at a Crossroads is a project of Jews United for Democracy & Justice.
