Thursday, October 1, 2026
While our gardens rest, we should not. We have an immigration problem to grapple with.
The basic problem is that the earth is divided into countries with borders. Those borders divide people into us-es and thems. When people want to move across borders, each country has to decide who to let in and who to keep out. Who can join “us”? Who must always be “them”?
There’s probably no country where everyone agrees on how to answer these questions.
What is our immigration policy intended to accomplish? Are we trying to help people who are in need or in danger, or do we want people to come here because we need their skills and willingness to work, or both?
What’s the right number to let in?
Are we too welcoming, or too stingy about letting people in? How is our national policy changing?
In late November, our nation’s president said he intended to “remove anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country; end all Federal benefits and subsidies to noncitizens of our Country; denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility; and deport any Foreign National who is a public charge, security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization."
Let’s ask ourselves some questions about the president’s goals:
First, what are “net assets to the United States?” Are all those who are born here net assets? How do we measure a human’s net value?
As to loving our country, we will need polling data and analysis to know what qualifies as love. Can Americans who don’t vote claim to be patriots? Does love have to be unconditional? What beliefs and behaviors demonstrate our love for our e pluribus unum homeland?
We’d also need polling to find out whether the majority of us want our government to end all federal benefits to noncitizens, without any regard to their legal status, age, disabilities, skills, opportunities for education or job training, or caregiving responsibilities.
And here’s an even trickier challenge to think about: Do a majority of Americans think it’s OK to “denaturalize” immigrants who have paid the fees, done the paperwork, waited the right number of years, and passed the civics test to become American citizens if they “undermine domestic tranquility?” Does writing an op-ed critical of the president, or attending a protest rally undermine domestic tranquility?
Then there’s the president’s list of reasons to deport “any Foreign National who is a public charge, a security risk, or non-compatible with Western Civilization.” And again, we have to ask: Do all people born here get a pass on all those bad things, including undermining domestic tranquility?
Right now that must be so, because President Trump himself calls Somalis “garbage,” approves of shooting unarmed people in the wreckage of boats in the Caribbean, and has a long lifetime list of other cruel and criminal acts, he surely must be “noncompatible” with Western Civilization.
But if it were suggested to him, the president would almost certainly support deporting the Nisqually, Skokomish, Chehalis, and Squaxin people, because their names sound foreign to him and some of them are a little brown. Plus they have that definitely foreign way of dancing.
It wouldn’t occur to him to wonder what their immigration policies were 250 years ago, and whether, knowing what they know now, they might wish they had been less welcoming.
Finding the right balance on immigration policy will always be a challenge. But if we tried harder — a lot harder — we might be able to craft immigration policies compatible with Western Civilization.
Jill Severn writes from her home in Olympia, where she grows vegetables, flowers, and a small flock of chickens. She loves conversation among gardeners. Start one by emailing her at jill@theJOLTnews.com.
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ScottWall
As we watch the rule of law and the US Treasury being shredded we are told that the immigrant is the cause of society's ills. And that message has beed sold at various times for centuries while the oppressors reap unjust power and riches..
But it seems that increasing numbers of Americans are realizing how badly they're being manipulated and the message of hate is not selling quite as well as the Administration had hoped.
Thanks for the inspiring Friday evening column.
Friday, December 12, 2025 Report this
Bconroy
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Friday, December 12, 2025 Report this
Merlyn
Very succinct, truthful, and well-written article. We all gotta do what we can to put-out the flames, then logically think, act, get out of this mess.
Friday, December 12, 2025 Report this
PegGerdes
Your article this week is full of thought-provoking and piercing questions that need deep consideration by us all. The nonsense spewing from the White House these days about immigrants (and citizens) needs to stop. It is up to us, the people of the United States, to stop it. Thankfully, it appears that even those who have been deceived are finally realizing it. We are in this together! Thank you for this essay.
Friday, December 12, 2025 Report this
pbaron1902
Jill, thank you so much for this article! Finding soeone to blame all our ills on is a handy way for leaders to excuse their actions. Reminds one of Germany in the late thirties, doesn't it?
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
hptrillium
Immigrants make our communities stronger. I think we should welcome immigrants. What our federal government is doing locking them up and deporting them is immoral. In the future we will be asking forgiveness for the hell we are putting them through.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
wolfmanner
Stick to gardening. In politics you know not what ya talking about.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
HappyOlympian
The stream of consciousness approach to this bit of text results in a punishing read.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
johnvaneenwyk
Thank you, Jill. Your column today resonates well with our love for the environment. As for domestic tranquility, I truly appreciate your calling out the horrible undermining of domestic tranquility of late.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
Snevets
Thank you.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
CommonSenseSenior
Thank you Jill, for putting yourself out there. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". We shake our heads in wonder on how so many Germans could believe what Hitler put out, blaming everything on Jews, getting a percentage of the population to agree. And yet here we sit almost 2026 with a percentage of population who believe it's okay for our President to say and do the things he does about 'others'. Instead of leadership we get a tyrant who goes around smashing anything he doesn't like. And calls himself a Christian. Are you kidding me? What commandments does he actually abide by? And to the idiot who thinks you should stick to gardening, well it seems gardening is something that speaks to the soul and helps reduce stress. You need that, I need that, we all need that. Love you Jill. Always look for your column first.
Sunday, December 14, 2025 Report this
Southsoundguy
Liberalism is self-terminating.
Monday, December 15, 2025 Report this
CobraCommander
Jill - thank you for taking the time to write such an important piece. We are witnessing the destruction of American ideals from a business class that cares nothing for regular folks.
Southsoundguy - Maybe a response involving actual thought would be warranted if you want people to care about what you have to say? What does your statement even mean?
Wednesday, December 17, 2025 Report this