Immigrants have always played a critical role in every community, state or nation. I use the word “critical” intentionally. Immigration has many facets to it, with different facets coming into the public limelight at different time periods, depending on the current political scenario of the world.

I do not believe that the Concept of immigration has been more polarized in the history of mankind than it is today. The two most (arguably) impactful countries of the last century, the UK and the USA, have both seen drastic changes in their respective political scenarios in recent times and they have BOTH involved migrants.

The departure of the UK from the European Union was primarily motivated by a general consensus amongst the population that the foreigners in Britain were doing more harm than good for the ethnically British.

Similarly, Donald Trump’s ascension to power in America in 2016, largely revolved around a campaign focused on ‘America First’ – ‘protecting Americans from outsiders’; tightening legislature to building walls, it’s all been on the table.

This brings us to a very pressing question indeed: Is immigration necessarily a societal evil?
Absolutely not.

That argument can and has been debunked in many ways. Why then is the idea of immigration still so sensitive to such large populations of people.
Well the answer to that can be pinned down to a couple of stand-out reasons, namely:

1. A general, evolutionary fear of outsiders.
2. Propaganda by powerful individuals with a strong political agenda.

These 2 reasons are rehashed and presented to the masses in several different ways: crime statistics, loss of jobs, dilution of national values, you name it.

However, in the long history of human civilization, immigration (the influx of people from different lands settling in unknown territories) has been a consistent trend, and for good measure.

Many of the world’s greatest civilizations have prided themselves on having diversity in its people.(The Ancient Greeks, the Maurya Dynasty, etc.)
Great civilizations have thrived on the concept of letting ‘outsiders’ in, providing hope to any and all.
Some of the greatest feats of engineering in the ‘powerful’ nations of today have been accomplished due to the immigrants, an example being the Railroad construction in New York by the Italian immigrants, amongst many may other such examples.
On a more philosophical note, the very concept of immigration rests on a broader, more dangerous concept of nationalism. At some point in the future of mankind, the world must work towards building a united planet. All concepts of differences must be abandoned if human beings are to survive as a species.
Based on this assumption, immigration is not only permissible; it is the logical course towards a perfect society.
Long live migrants, and long live immigration.