Damn that was a fine read.

blame the immigrants for pursuing rational self-interest as if it were a moral failing, instilling hatred in part of the working class toward other working class people to garner political support for representatives who pay lip service to anti-immigration policy

^ Tip of the spear right there. Gets votes!

But let's talk real talk. Americans want slaves. I can provide 100 anecdotes, but they all come to the same observation, we want cheap labor. Immigrants provide it and we can't do without it.

And it's not just the "evil capitalists". If a Mexican dude tells me his gang will refloor my living room for $5/hr. per man, I'm all in because I can't afford to pay "real" labor prices. Either they make some money, or no one gets paid and my carpet is rotting.

OK, one anecdote. My wife is Filipina, not a US citizen. Her education in early childhood education is stunning. I've watched countless videos of her private school back home. And I'm screaming, "FFS! Why are we not teaching our children like this?! Why are our teachers not trained like this?!"

She had to quit her job teaching because the airport hotel pays far more. Philippinos are in demand because everyone knows they work hard, don't bitch and are grateful for what they get. LOL, she was hired on the spot, just for walking in the door and asking.

Meanwhile, I make $80K for sitting and sleeping my ass off working for a software dev, from home.

Don't know where I'm going with this. Guess when we Americans say we're a "nation of immigrants", we really mean, "a nation of immigrants who started as slaves and worked their way up the food chain over a generation or two".