I just have to ask….WHY?
Lately, I’ve found myself asking questions I wish I didn’t have to ask. Like — how did we get to a point where ripping families apart is cheered as good policy? Why are so many people okay with this?
I sat down with ChatGPT to unpack what’s really going on beneath the headlines — and to ask, honestly:
🧠1. What’s really driving the mass deportation push?
Rowan:
There’s a new push happening in the U.S. to deport millions of immigrants — many of whom have been here for years, working, raising families, paying taxes. Some people are cheering it on like it’s some great cleansing. What’s driving this? What is the root problem or belief underneath it all?
ChatGPT:
At the core, it’s a mix of fear, control, and a desire to preserve a certain version of America — often coded as white, Christian, and orderly. Politically, this is framed as “restoring law and order” or “securing the border.” But underneath that, there’s a deep anxiety about demographic change and the perceived loss of cultural dominance. It’s not always spoken out loud, but the belief is this:
“If they stay, we lose something.”
What that “something” is depends on who you ask — jobs, identity, safety, status. But it’s usually fear dressed up as policy.
What they’re trying to fix is a feeling of lost control — over borders, culture, and power dynamics. But deporting millions doesn’t actually solve those root issues. It just creates new ones.
Rowan:
Earlier you said this is “fear dressed up as policy.” What does that really mean?
ChatGPT:
It means the emotional driver — fear — is being repackaged to look like a rational government decision.
Take the phrase “we’re enforcing the law.” It sounds neutral, responsible, even boring. But what’s underneath that?
Politicians know this. So they write laws that validate the fear — and dress it up as “public safety” or “border control.”
- A fear that white, Christian, English-speaking identity won’t be the default anymore
- A fear of losing dominance
- A fear of “being replaced
- A fear that immigrants will outnumber or outvote “real” Americans
- A fear of sharing resources, language, or cultural space
- A fear that someone else is getting ahead — and you’re being left behind
But the deeper truth? These policies aren’t solving problems.
They’re weaponizing emotions and the emotion underneath is raw:
“I don’t recognize my country anymore. I want it back.”
Policy becomes the mask for a deeper panic about identity, status, and control.
🧯 2. What could be done instead of deporting millions?
Rowan:
So if the real issue is fear — fear of being replaced, fear of losing control — what could actually be done to remove that fear? Instead of deporting millions of people who are already contributing to society?
ChatGPT:
That’s the question almost no one in power is willing to ask — because it requires empathy, honesty, and long-term thinking. But yes, there are ways to reduce that fear without punishing people who’ve done nothing wrong.
Here’s what it might take:
🧠 A. Honest education about immigration and crime
Public campaigns that debunk the myths. Not slogans, but actual community-based information efforts:
- Local town halls
- School curricula
Trusted messengers (veterans, religious leaders, teachers) explaining that immigrants statistically reduce crime and boost the economy. This only works if it’s personalized and repeated — because fear is stubborn.
🤝 B. More contact, less separation
People fear “the other” most when they’ve never actually met “the other.”
Programs that connect long-term citizens and immigrant communities — through schools, jobs, shared projects — can reduce suspicion and build familiarity. It’s hard to dehumanize someone once you’ve had dinner with their family.
🛠️ C. Economic stability for everyone
Much of the resentment toward immigrants is really about economic insecurity. People fear that there’s not enough to go around — jobs, housing, benefits. The solution isn’t deportation — it’s building a more equitable economy. If working-class Americans felt more secure, they’d be less vulnerable to scapegoating narratives.
💬 D. Political leaders who speak to our better instincts
Right now, fear wins elections. But it doesn’t have to.
If even a few high-profile leaders reframed immigration as a shared opportunity — not a threat — it would shift the tone. Leaders set the emotional ceiling for a country. If they choose empathy over fear, others follow.
❤️ E. Cultural healing
This one’s slower — but maybe the most important.
It’s about grieving what’s changing without turning that grief into hatred.
It’s okay to feel unsettled by a changing world — but it’s not okay to punish people for it.
We need public rituals, conversations, and even art that help people process change without clinging to supremacy.
Fear thrives in silence, in echo chambers, and in zero-sum thinking.
But when people feel seen, included, and safe, fear loses its grip.
That’s how you heal a country — not with mass removals, but with mass remembering:
“We’re all human. We’re all trying to belong.”
🔍 3. Do immigrants actually increase crime?
Rowan:
People keep saying immigrants are flooding into the country and bringing crime with them. Are there actual statistics on crimes committed by immigrants versus Americans? And where do those stats come from?
ChatGPT:
Yes — and the data is very clear: immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, are less likely to commit crimes than native-born U.S. citizens.
Let’s get specific:
- A 2020 study in the journal PNAS analyzed crime and immigration data across all 50 U.S. states over 25 years.
- It found no evidence that immigration increases violent crime. (PNAS Study)
- A 2018 report from the Cato Institute, using Texas Department of Public Safety data, showed that:
- The criminal conviction rate for native-born Americans was 1.53%
- For undocumented immigrants, it was 0.85%
- For legal immigrants, it was even lower: 0.50% (Cato Institute Report)
- A 2020 study published in Criminology found that neighborhoods with higher immigrant populations actually experienced lower rates of violence and property crime.
The myth that immigrants bring crime is powerful because it taps into fear — but when you look at the data, it simply doesn’t hold up.
🤔 4. But why are immigrants less likely to commit crime?
Rowan:
Okay, but why are immigrants — including undocumented ones — less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans? That’s likely to feel counterintuitive to a lot of people.
ChatGPT:
It does feel counterintuitive, especially with how often the opposite idea is repeated. But here’s why the data looks the way it does:
- High stakes = high caution
Undocumented immigrants live under the constant threat of deportation. Even a minor legal issue can uproot their entire lives — so many go to great lengths to avoid any trouble. - Self-selection effect
Immigration requires courage, resourcefulness, and strong motivation. People who choose that path — especially undocumented ones — are often highly focused on work, family, and survival. - Tight community bonds
Many immigrant communities rely heavily on social networks for childcare, housing, food, and jobs. There’s a natural incentive to maintain peace and mutual trust. - They tend to avoid law enforcement
Because of fear, many immigrants — even legal ones — avoid calling the police or reporting crimes, including when they themselves are victims. That lowers visibility and often reinforces the idea that they’re “under the radar.” - Public perception doesn’t match reality
People tend to remember high-profile crimes involving immigrants, even if they’re rare. Media plays a big role in shaping that perception. But when you zoom out, the data is consistent: immigrants aren’t driving crime.
🧨 5. Do people think it will be better once immigrants are gone?
Rowan:
What do they think will improve?
ChatGPT:
The fantasy is that America will be safer, richer, more “American.” In reality, these communities are deeply embedded — economically and socially. Deporting them en masse would devastate industries like agriculture, elder care, hospitality, and food service.
But that’s rarely acknowledged, because the fantasy is emotional. It’s about restoring a perceived lost greatness. The facts don’t matter as much as the feeling of reclaiming control.
🌪️ 6. What happens to local economies?
Rowan:
Can you break it down — what actually happens if we go through with this?
ChatGPT:
Sure. Let’s look at the real-world domino effect — not the fantasy version where everything magically improves once “they’re gone.”
🧑🌾 A. Agriculture collapses — quickly.
- Over half of U.S. farmworkers are undocumented immigrants.
- They’re the ones picking our fruits and vegetables, often for poverty wages under brutal conditions that many Americans flat-out won’t accept.
- If they’re deported, farms either go under or dramatically raise prices.
- There’s no backup labor force waiting in the wings.
- In some places, crops would literally rot in the fields.
🧓 B. Elder care and home health suffer.
- Immigrants make up 1 in 4 workers in the home health and elder care industries.
- These jobs are physically demanding, emotionally taxing, and historically underpaid.
- Deporting caregivers would leave families scrambling to care for aging parents — especially in rural areas and lower-income households.
- We’re talking about people helping our parents bathe, eat, and stay alive — not some abstract “labor force.”
🍽️ C. Restaurants, hotels, and cleaning industries implode.
- Hospitality and service industries rely heavily on immigrant labor — dishwashers, housekeepers, cooks, delivery drivers.
- Without them, many small businesses would either cut hours, reduce services, or shut down entirely.
- Some places, especially in tourist-heavy or immigrant-rich areas, would see entire sectors collapse.
🧱 D. Local economies start bleeding out.
- Immigrants don’t just work — they also spend, rent, and pay taxes.
- Deporting thousands from a single town can cause:
- Empty apartments and foreclosed homes
- Local business closures due to lost customers
- Shrinking school enrollments (which means less funding)
- Lower sales tax revenue, which hurts public services
It’s like pulling the bottom Jenga block out of a local economy. When immigrant families leave, they don’t just disappear quietly — they take entire support systems with them.
This one’s slower — but maybe the most important.
It’s about grieving what’s changing without turning that grief into hatred.
It’s okay to feel unsettled by a changing world — but it’s not okay to punish people for it.
We need public rituals, conversations, and even art that help people process change without clinging to supremacy.
🗺️ E. Rural and red-state economies suffer the most.
ChatGPT:
So yes — the fantasy is that America becomes cleaner, safer, more “American.”
But the reality? It becomes more expensive, more unstable, and less functional — especially for the very people who support these policies.
Rowan:
That’s the part that makes my chest tighten — the contradiction.
People are cheering these deportations like they’re cleaning house. But they don’t seem to realize they’re also gutting the town bakery, the apple orchard, the nursing home. Their kid’s favorite restaurant. Their neighbor’s construction crew.
And somehow, when things start falling apart — when there are fewer workers, fewer services, higher prices — they’re told it’s the fault of “illegals” again. Like we’ve created a loop where immigrants are both blamed for existing and blamed again when they’re gone.
I don’t think most people are consciously trying to hurt their communities. I think they’ve been told a story that feels simple and satisfying — even if it’s wrong. And by the time the consequences show up, it’s too late to untangle what really caused what.
It’s like we’ve trained ourselves to choose punishment over understanding.
And somehow still expect things to get better.
💰 7. Who profits from all this?
Rowan:
So what’s in it for the people pushing this?
ChatGPT:
Power, attention, and in many cases — money. Politicians get votes by stoking fear. Private detention centers get paid per body. Defense contractors get border surveillance contracts. It’s an entire ecosystem of profit and political capital.
The cruelty is not a side effect — it’s the point. It proves strength. And in today’s political climate, appearing “strong” is more profitable than being ethical.
🔗 8. Let’s follow the money — how deep does this go?
Rowan:
Who actually profits from mass deportation?
ChatGPT:
Start with the detention industry.
Companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group run most of the private immigration jails in the U.S. — and they don’t do it for charity.
- In 2020, around 81% of ICE detention beds were operated by private contractors.
- GEO Group has told its investors that changing immigration policy is a “business risk.” That’s not subtle.
- These companies rake in hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, and they spend millions lobbying for policies that increase arrests, detention quotas, and deportations.
So when politicians call for mass deportations, these companies don’t just support it — they profit from it.
Cruelty is the business model.
Rowan:
That’s at the national level. But what about states? Are local governments in on this too?
ChatGPT:
Very much so — especially in rural counties that now rely on ICE contracts to balance their budgets.
- Some county jails lease beds to ICE, earning up to $200/day per detained person.
- These deals often include perks like federal funding for new jail construction, law enforcement training programs, or equipment.
- States like Louisiana, Arizona, and Texas have built regional economies around detention — where more arrests mean more money.
It’s not just a federal operation. It’s a localized cash flow system where immigrants are reduced to line items.
Many of these counties have incentives not to reform — because reform would bankrupt them.
Rowan:
And the politicians pushing this — what do they get out of it?
ChatGPT:
Three things:
donations, attention, and control.
- Companies like CoreCivic and GEO Group donate heavily to political campaigns — especially those that promise harsher immigration policies.
- Border tech contractors like Palantir, Anduril, and Raytheon also benefit from ramped-up enforcement and surveillance contracts.
- Groups like ALEC help draft legislation that makes immigration offenses easier to criminalize — feeding more people into the system.
But beyond money, it’s about power through fear.
Deportations show “strength.”
Accusing opponents of being “weak on the border” is a reliable applause line.
And fear-based politics — even if built on lies — drives votes.
Politicians don’t need to solve the immigration “problem.”
They just need to keep people scared enough to elect them to “fight it.”
⚠️ 9. What happens after mass deportation?
Rowan:
What’s the fallout — practically and morally?
ChatGPT:
You’d see labor shortages in essential sectors, economic slowdowns in local communities, and humanitarian crises as families are torn apart. But also — you’d see a dangerous moral shift.
When society accepts mass cruelty as normal, it becomes easier to do it again. To someone else.
🧿 10. So… who’s next?
Rowan:
Who’s next in line?
ChatGPT:
That’s the haunting question. When you normalize the dehumanization of one group, it creates a template. Next could be refugees. Then LGBTQ+ communities. Then political dissenters. The mechanism is already built — it just needs to be redirected.
Cruelty has momentum, especially when it’s rewarded.
😐 11. How did people become so numb to this?
Rowan:
How do people cheer this stuff on like it’s a game?
ChatGPT:
Emotional numbing. Repetition. Propaganda. People hear the same messages over and over — that immigrants are dangerous, undeserving, or a threat.
Add in fear, economic insecurity, and social isolation, and people become susceptible to messaging that offers a scapegoat. Once cruelty is framed as “necessary,” it’s easier to support — or ignore.
🧪 12. How does cruelty become normal?
Rowan:
How does cruelty become policy?
ChatGPT:
Slowly.
It starts with language — calling people “illegals” instead of human beings.
Then policies — like “zero tolerance” or “family separation.”
Then silence — people stop asking questions, because it’s not happening to them.
By the time it looks like evil, it’s already been accepted as policy.
🚨 13. Where’s this heading?
Rowan:
Where are we really going?
ChatGPT:
That depends on us.
If we keep choosing numbness, silence, and spectacle, then it heads toward a society that runs on fear and punishment.
But if enough people stay awake, ask questions, and refuse to harden — we have a chance to redirect.
The heartlessness isn’t permanent. But neither is our humanity.
It has to be chosen. Every day.
Rowan:
We’re not just talking about policy.
We’re talking about people — neighbors, coworkers, caretakers.
About a country being reshaped by fear, while pretending it’s just doing paperwork.
When cruelty becomes comfortable, something in us hardens.
And when we cheer for suffering as a sign of strength, we lose something far more dangerous than an election.
We lose our capacity to recognize ourselves.
That’s what this post is really about.
Not just immigration. Not just politics.
But the question underneath it all:
Who are we becoming—and where on earth are we heading?
💬 Invitation to Reflect & Respond
If this stirred something in you — whether it’s agreement, resistance, grief, or hope — I’d love to hear it.
What have you noticed?
What do you think would actually help?
What are the questions you’re still sitting with?
Feel free to share in the comments.
Let’s keep this conversation respectful, open, honest, and real — even when it’s uncomfortable.
That’s how we stay human.
And if there’s someone in your life who might not fully see what’s happening yet — maybe this is the kind of piece that opens a door.
You don’t have to change their mind. Just invite them to pause and look.