Introduction
Despite endless political spin, the vast majority of Americans agree on one thing: they do not want their country overrun by illegal immigration. This is not about race or ethnicity—it’s about sovereignty, law, and security. Americans overwhelmingly support the arrest, incarceration, or deportation of illegal alien gang members, drug traffickers, and repeat offenders. The notion that ordinary citizens are upset when ICE arrests illegal aliens working in labor or service positions is a myth peddled by a very small activist minority.
When it comes down to it, Americans do not want to normalize the presence of 20 million illegal aliens in the country, nor do they support amnesty schemes that would reward unlawful entry. Instead, they want clear enforcement, a secure border, and the rule of law applied consistently.
The Rogan Reference and the "Jobs Americans Won’t Do" Myth
Joe Rogan recently criticized ICE raids for targeting non-criminal undocumented workers like landscapers, construction hands, and kitchen staff. Fair enough—but let’s be clear: Rogan wasn’t the one pushing the old claim that “Americans won’t do these jobs.”
That tired talking point has been floated for decades by politicians, corporations, and open-border advocates who benefit from cheap, exploitable labor. I believe Rogan is wrong. Millions of Americans
do
want all illegal aliens gone. They’re ready to fill jobs legally, with fair wages and safe conditions—jobs that are currently vacated in part because employers rely on underpaid, undocumented labor.
The reality is simple: Americans can and will do these jobs when employers play by the rules. Industries like agriculture, hospitality, and construction lean on illegal labor not because citizens won’t work—but because it's cheaper to exploit undocumented workers than comply with labor laws. That flood of illegal labor distorts markets, suppresses wages, and undermines businesses that operate legally.
During COVID-19, Americans proved they can and will perform those essential roles we were told they “wouldn’t do”—from warehouse shifts to long-haul trucking. With the right incentives, training, and lawful employment, America’s workforce stands ready. Deportation, then, wouldn't collapse the economy—it would reset it to integrity and sustainability.
Public opinion reflects this: a recent Gallup poll found that 60% of Americans support removing immigrants who are in the country illegally, even if they have no criminal convictions—highlighting the breadth of this sentiment.
The Political Strategy Behind Biden’s Border Crisis
It is no accident that the tidal wave of illegal immigration under President Biden has disproportionately landed in Democrat-controlled cities. This is not incompetence—it is strategy. Every illegal alien who enters and later receives amnesty or legal status adds to the population counts used in congressional redistricting. That means more seats in the House of Representatives for Democrat strongholds and more electoral clout in future elections.
The contrast is stark: Trump showed that the border could be secured. His administration curtailed crossings dramatically and strangled the flow of illegal aliens through policy and enforcement. Biden could have maintained those measures but chose not to. Instead, he dismantled them, signaling to millions worldwide that the border was open. That willful refusal to act reveals the true motivation: demographic engineering for long-term political gain.
The Cost to Social Systems
Mass illegal immigration doesn’t just reshape politics—it drains public resources. Schools in border states and big cities are overwhelmed by the influx of non-English-speaking students, stretching teachers and classrooms to the breaking point. Hospitals are forced to absorb millions of unpaid emergency visits, driving up costs for everyone. Local services, from housing assistance to welfare programs, are tapped dry as communities struggle to provide for people who entered unlawfully.
Americans see this clearly: their taxes are being diverted to subsidize illegal immigration instead of improving the lives of citizens. The result is higher property taxes, overcrowded classrooms, longer ER wait times, and weakened community infrastructure. Simply put, Americans do not want their schools, hospitals, and social safety nets overrun by people who broke the law to be here.
The Broader Impact of Normalization
Granting amnesty or looking the other way on mass illegal immigration doesn’t just undermine wages—it erodes the very concept of citizenship. If laws mean nothing, then borders mean nothing, and ultimately the nation ceases to exist in any recognizable form. Communities have already seen the consequences: cartel-linked gang activity, overloaded school districts, and hospitals straining under the weight of non-paying patients.
And here is another reality: Americans do not want to be forced to support illegal immigrants through taxpayer dollars. Billions are spent each year providing free healthcare, education, and public services to those who entered unlawfully. That burden is carried by hardworking citizens who never agreed to subsidize lawbreaking. Poll after poll shows Americans are tired of footing the bill for people who should never have been in the country in the first place.
The left has tried to normalize this situation by claiming America "needs" illegal labor, but the truth is America needs accountable labor, where employers don’t break the law to undercut citizens. The idea that deportations would cause national economic collapse is a scare tactic meant to protect a status quo that benefits elites at the expense of working Americans.
Why This Matters
This debate isn’t about compassion—it’s about whether the United States has the will to enforce its laws fairly. Americans support legal immigration. They value hard work, diversity, and opportunity. But they also understand that mass illegal immigration destabilizes the system for everyone. In the end, the majority do not want to hand amnesty to 20 million people who broke the law to be here. They do not want to normalize their presence, nor do they want to provide lifelong taxpayer support to them. What Americans want is security, fairness, and a system that rewards those who come the right way.
References:
Camarota, S. A., & Zeigler, K. (2020). Illegal Immigrants and the U.S. Economy. Center for Immigration Studies.
FAIR. (2022). The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers.
Ipsos, & Axios. (2025, January 19). Majority of Americans support deporting immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
Pew Research Center. (2021). Most Americans favor legal status for immigrants brought to U.S. illegally as children, but opinion is more divided on other groups.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this post are solely those of the author in a personal capacity and do not represent the views of any employer, university, or institution. They are offered for educational and commentary purposes only. They are not statements of fact about any individual or organization, and should not be construed as legal, medical, or financial advice. References to public figures and institutions are based on publicly available sources cited in the article. Any resemblance beyond these references is coincidental.
