Has any western country actually reduced immigration in a significant way recently?

[z3n]

Lately we have heard a lot about immigration and how dangerous certain people getting into power can be, but has anything actually come of it, aside from the famed (but probably toothless in terms of overall immigration numbers) Muslim Ban?

Is this all simply a case of wide spread alarmist rhetoric or are current right leaning policies truly cutting immigration numbers down in a significant way (even small 5-10% drops overall)? Genuinely curious as I've been unable to deduce this myself.



For example; there was a professor who claimed the following, suggesting that the Danes pushed back. But I'm not really sure what this means in terms of stats or whether this is corroborated in any other western countries (England, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia etc). Or heck, even Russia.

A decade ago the fundamental belief among Danes toward Muslim immigrants was that these newcomers would see how wonderful Denmark was and naturally want to become Danish as quickly as possible.

This turned out to be naively wrong. At least half of all Muslims polled across various western European countries believe today that their Shariah law is more important than national law, according to the Gatestone Institute. In other words, a not insignificant proportion of Muslim immigrants have no intention of assimilating into any western society, including Denmark.

Danes have pushed back. Losing the integrity of their society — one of the best in the world by all measures — was on the line. Requirements to obtain citizenship increased. A new insistence that immigrant children go to Danish public schools instead of religious schools was implemented. Social benefits were rescinded for those who didn’t comply. This was only the beginning. But the Danes are not alone.

He also suggested that Canada was becoming less trusting of one another, but I don't believe Canada is currently reducing immigration rates (even under Stephen Harper who leaned right wing).

Denmark and the rest of Scandinavia is always at the top of those rankings. They, shine a beacon on the fact that trust is what makes society great. Interestingly, Scandinavian countries are becoming even more trusting. Canada, Great Britain, the U.S. and Australia are all going in the opposite direction. In Canada, we are becoming less trusting of one other.

The question remains, has any western country implemented policies that significantly reduced immigration recently?

[Love Mountain]

Europe in general has seen a drastic reduction in refugees arriving to Europe. The peak was in 2016, with something like 800,000 refugees arriving. This steeply dropped off to 200-300,000 after a deal with Turkey. This is likely the result of both border efforts by governments, as well as a general reduction in migration flows into Europe.

[z3n]

Europe in general has seen a drastic reduction in refugees arriving to Europe. The peak was in 2016, with something like 800,000 refugees arriving. This steeply dropped off to 200-300,000 after a deal with Turkey. This is likely the result of both border efforts by governments, as well as a general reduction in migration flows into Europe.

What percentage would you guess exactly?

Europe in general has seen a drastic reduction in refugees arriving to Europe. The peak was in 2016, with something like 800,000 refugees arriving. This steeply dropped off to 200-300,000 after a deal with Turkey. This is likely the result of both border efforts by governments, as well as a general reduction in migration flows into Europe.

So are you saying existing laws started to be enforced, or that it was new policy?

[Love Mountain]

What percentage would you guess exactly?

This is a good graphic to visualize the situation.

So are you saying existing laws started to be enforced, or that it was new policy?

To be honest I'm not sure. I think that the migrant spike due to the general unrest in the Middle East was a one-time thing, and now that we've moved past that crisis (there's only so many refugees that will move in such a short period of time), we're likely to see a return back to "normalcy". That said, I've already mentioned the deal made with Turkey, to tighten up borders. As well as other things like Merkel sending more personnel to German borders to help "process" the refugees. Though I imagine they also refused entry to many with the additional manpower. I think it's obvious that the reduction in migration is a combination of many different policies and a "bottoming out" of Syrian refugees, but what factors gets a larger share of that responsibility is is up for debate.

[Prodromos]

Lately we have heard a lot about immigration and how dangerous certain people getting into power can be, but has anything actually come of it, aside from the famed (but probably toothless in terms of overall immigration numbers) Muslim Ban?

Is this all simply a case of wide spread alarmist rhetoric or are current right leaning policies truly cutting immigration numbers down in a significant way (even small 5-10% drops overall)? Genuinely curious as I've been unable to deduce this myself.

Immigrant Population Growth in the U.S. Slows to a Trickle - The New York Times

The United States population gained immigrants at the slowest pace in a decade last year, according to an analysis of new census data, a notable slowdown that experts said was quite likely linked to a more restrictive approach by the Trump administration.

The net increase of immigrants in the American population dropped to about 200,000 people in 2018, a decline of more than 70 percent from the year before, according to William Frey, chief demographer at the Brookings Institution, who conducted the analysis.

“It’s remarkable,” said David Bier, an immigration expert at the Cato Institute, of the 2018 numbers. “This is something that really hasn’t happened since the Great Recession. This should be very concerning to the administration that its policies are scaring people away.”

...

Such a sharp drop in immigrant flows is unusual during times of economic expansion, when jobs are plentiful and people tend to want to stay and work. The last time the pace slowed so much was during the financial crisis in 2008, when the flow actually declined.

Experts said much of last year’s drop was probably an indirect effect of President Trump’s approach to immigration policy. Congress sets most limits on immigration, but a president’s policies can also have an effect. Mr. Trump’s ban on travel from several majority-Muslim countries in 2017 has stranded thousands of immigrants abroad. He has cut the number of refugees and created new procedures that make processing visa applications more onerous.

“It’s probably no one factor,” said Randy Capps, director of United States research for the Migration Policy Institute. “It’s probably a number of small factors, a lot of which are related to policy changes and to the general effect of Trump being president.”

Cuccinelli: Persecuted Christians will be turned away at border

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services acting Director Ken Cuccinelli says the Trump administration will turn away persecuted Christians who seek to bypass a new cap on refugees by claiming asylum at the border.

"We'll turn them back," Cuccinelli told reporters on the White House driveway.

Cuccinelli bristled at being asked about the effect of a new 18,000-person refugee cap on persecuted Christians seeking protection in the United States.

"I take issue with how you ask your alleged question," Cuccinelli said when first asked about the impact on Christians.

An official accompanying Cuccinelli scolded a journalist who pressed him on whether persecuted Christians "can't get in at all."

"Your anger is quite apparent," the aide chided.

Trump's anti-immigrant policies are very much a reality. He's already ended, or is in the process of ending, close to all humanitarian-based immigration, which is unprecedented. His hands are tied by Congress, so he can't unilaterally end all immigration, but he's certainly doing what he can, with a twisted focus on humanitarian cases, including Christian victims of persecution. I trust God will repay him according to his deeds.

Psalm 37

The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

[Aexodus]

There hasn’t really been a reduction in any European country. There was the spike in 2015 but it’s been quite stable but high for some time.

[z3n]

This is a good graphic to visualize the situation.

Thanks, that's a neat graphic, I wish it went further back because all I can see is that it's still trending upwards compared to past years.

Immigrant Population Growth in the U.S. Slows to a Trickle - The New York Times

Aren't there 1.1 million immigrants still entering the USA under Trump? That's quite a bit isn't it, I wouldn't call it a trickle like that headline.

Am I mistaken? I'm not American so I have no clue.

Trump's anti-immigrant policies are very much a reality. He's already ended, or is in the process of ending, close to all humanitarian-based immigration, which is unprecedented. His hands are tied by Congress, so he can't unilaterally end all immigration, but he's certainly doing what he can, with a twisted focus on humanitarian cases, including Christian victims of persecution. I trust God will repay him according to his deeds.

Interesting, can you recall any other policies like that, what's their total effect on immigration numbers would you say?

There hasn’t really been a reduction in any European country. There was the spike in 2015 but it’s been quite stable but high for some time.

It's strange though, haven't we been hearing non stop about how there is going to be a massive impact on immigration numbers due to the right wing leaders? That NYT headline is a great example, but I don't really see it myself where I live.

[hellheaven1987]

I thought Switzerland has a stable immigration rate?

[Swiss Army Cheese]

I thought this thread was about significant reduction in immigration rates?

This year in Australia our government rather boldly announced that it would be cutting immigration from 240,000 a year to 160,000. However in the previous year we only imported 160,000 immigrants from our quota of 240,000, so in actuality no real cuts have been made.

[conon394]

Interesting, can you recall any other policies like that,

err turning away boatloads of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany.... The Chinese exclusion acts. All proud points of American racism.

[Aexodus]

There’s nothing particularly American about it.

[Aexodus]

It's strange though, haven't we been hearing non stop about how there is going to be a massive impact on immigration numbers due to the right wing leaders? That NYT headline is a great example, but I don't really see it myself where I live.

Boris Johnson, who has no particular policies except ‘get me into 10 Downing Street’ has done a complete U Turn on immigration, now he wants to scrap immigration targets and caps, and also wants to pursue amnesty for illegal immigrants.

The only reason people who want to reduce immigration (76% of people) would vote for him is because Labour want open borders.

[Genava]

I thought Switzerland has a stable immigration rate?

Yes and no. It dropped recently because of economic context but there is still a lot of immigrants in Switzerland, although most of them are Europeans.

Switzerland, land of European immigration
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/willkom...ation/42941390

Defining the 25% foreign population in Switzerland
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/migrati...rland/42412156

Proposal for immigration restrictions under debate
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/anti-fr...ebate/45231900

[Aexodus]

I definitely don’t want to end up like Switzerland, especially when Labour want immigrants to be able to vote.

[mongrel]

I definitely don’t want to end up like Switzerland, especially when Labour want immigrants to be able to vote.

Irish and Commonwealth citizens can already vote in General Elections. Following the Brexit farce, I say it is about time it was extended to EU citizens, if by some chance Brexit is dumped.

[Exarch]

THere is such a case: The White Australia Policy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Australia_policy

Of course, do you want to go the altright route and only ban immigrants from " -hole" countries rather than the pure, aryan nations of northern europe?

[Aexodus]

Irish and Commonwealth citizens can already vote in General Elections.

Indeed, the latter is an anachronism that should be abolished. Ireland on the other hand gives us reciprocal voting rights in return.

[quote[Following the Brexit farce, I say it is about time it was extended to EU citizens, if by some chance Brexit is dumped.[/QUOTE]

Ok, but Labour say all immigrants should be able to vote, EU, Non-eu or whatever.

[z3n]

So is the consensus that no western country has significantly reduced immigration?

[Sir Adrian]

A better question would be: has any western country made any genuine serious effort to reduce immigration?

[Love Mountain]

So is the consensus that no western country has significantly reduced immigration?

I think that's a pretty good conclusion. I'll add that migration rates seem to fluctuate due to global conditions rather than state policies. However, America is a good study. Following Johnson's administration Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which liberalized parts of the immigration policy, immigrants as a share of US population has gradually increased. There have been attempts to curb this trend, but advocates of border control would argue that those measures haven't gone far enough. Immigration rates are obviously a product of both global conditions and migration policy, but the exact mixture and percentages aren't clear. What's more effective, attempting to change global conditions, or tightening down borders? As I've said before, it's pretty hard to make a bullet-proof conclusion.

To be honest z3n, I think your question is a little too broad which invites abstract discussion. While this is great for discussion, I think it's a pretty poor way to get a policy suggestion. I think the question should be, which policies have been most effective at curbing migration? This is where we can get actual numbers and arguments. I don't have time to research that at the moment, but I might add something in the future.