Some right-wing intellectuals believe that immigration harms United States society by admitting people from cultures they consider inferior. The argument has a very old pedigree - writing in 1896, Massachusetts Institute of Technology president Francis Walker warned against taking in "beaten men from beaten races".
This notion was always terribly wrong, and global economic development is offering added proof.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you