Immigration With Lance Gellman

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1) How would you describe the current state of the U.S. Immigration system? Is there a before and after with Trump?

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• Main Points:

  • The system was already broken pre-Trump.

  • Trump worsened problems — now it’s “totally dysfunctional.”

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Well, the immigration system was broken before Trump came, and he just made it worse.”

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• • “It wasn't functioning before he came, and it's just totally dysfunctional now.”​

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2) What do you think are the biggest challenges immigrants face when coming to the U.S? Generally, like before the Trump administration, and then after?

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• ​Main Points:

  • Must distinguish between documented and undocumented immigrants.

  • Documented immigrants generally have few problems.

  • Undocumented immigrants (about 11 million) have much worse problems under Trump.

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• Key Quotes

  • “Immigrants who come in have no problem.”

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• • “Undocumented immigrants are the people who, 11 million of them, are living in the United States, so we can say their problems are much worse under Trump for the undocumented.”

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​3) How do you think the U.S. should handle the undocumented immigrants? 

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• ​Main Points:

  • U.S. needs their labor — they’re contributing to the economy.

  • Should find a way for them to get work permits or regularize their status.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “You have to work out some sort of system where… we need the labor in the United States.”

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• • “They're functioning and aiding the economy right now, so I guess you have to figure out some way that they could either get work permits or regularize their status in some way.”

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​4) What are your thoughts on the current asylum process in the U.S? 

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• ​Main Points:

  • The process hasn’t changed much.

  • Problem: many seek asylum for economic, not political, reasons — economic migration doesn’t qualify for asylum legally.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “The asylum process is the same process we always had.”

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• • “The problem… is that these people are seeking asylum, but they're not entitled to asylum… most of these people are leaving their countries for economic reasons, not political reasons.”

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5) What do you think about the current visa system and its impact on skilled workers?

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• ​​Main Points:

  • Strongly supports visas for skilled workers.

  • Losing foreign graduates from U.S. universities is a waste — they benefit the economy.

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• Key Quotes

  • “Well, we need the skilled workers, obviously; they benefit the country.”

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• • “There’s no reason why a person who comes from, let's say, India or China, and goes to a great school in the United States, gets a skill, we should not have a visa available to him, because he benefits the economy.”

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6) What do you think about the current visa system and its impact on skilled workers? 

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• Main Points:

  • Strongly supports visas for skilled workers.

  • Losing foreign graduates from U.S. universities is a waste — they benefit the economy.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “I think they're overzealous right now at the border; they're really going beyond the scope of what's required.”

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• • “Our borders were out of control under the prior administration… but at the same time, you can't have this overhanded reaching out by some of these agents… and I think the Biden administration had a lot of issues with not enforcing the law; they had too liberal a policy, and they let people in who really didn't belong here.”

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7) What is your perspective on border security and enforcement policies?

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• ​Main Points:

  • Current enforcement is overzealous.

  • Previously, borders were “out of control,” but now some agents go too far.

  • Biden administration initially too liberal — let in people “who really didn’t belong here.”

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Whether we like it or not, we are a country of immigrants… because immigrants built the United States of America… but we can't take everyone; it's a balance.”

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• • “You’re supposed to do it with what's good in the employment realm—what needs do we have versus what skills these people have; that's always been the backside of immigration, matching skills with needs.”

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​8) How do you think the U.S. can balance national security and prioritization of current citizens with being welcoming to immigrants?

 

• ​Main Points:

  • America is a nation of immigrants; we can’t take everyone, but we must balance needs and openness.

  • Matching the skills immigrants bring with U.S. labor needs has always been the guiding principle.

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• Key Quotes

  • “It's changed dramatically; I've been doing this for 50 plus years, and America had very few Hispanics… but now Hispanics are all over the United States.”

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• • “Where I live was predominantly Jewish and Italian when I moved here; today, most of my neighbors are Indian, Korean, and Chinese, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing.”

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9) How does immigration affect the cultural landscape of the country? 

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• ​Main Points:

  • Huge demographic changes over the past 50 years, especially more Hispanic, Indian, Chinese, and Korean populations in the U.S.

  • In New York, these changes have enriched communities.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “It's changed dramatically; I've been doing this for 50 plus years, and America had very few Hispanics… but now Hispanics are all over the United States.”

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• • “Where I live was predominantly Jewish and Italian when I moved here; today, most of my neighbors are Indian, Korean, and Chinese, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing.”

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10) New York City, compared to other areas, has changed even more. Or how do you think it compares to others?

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• Main Points:

  • NYC is always a magnet for immigration — changes are more pronounced than in states like Maine or Wyoming.

  • Big changes also in Illinois, Florida, and  California.

 

• Key Quotes

  • “New York City has changed because it's always been a magnet for immigration.”

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• • “I went to Maine a week or so ago, and it was amazing to me that the demographics up there haven't changed as much as New York City… but you go to Illinois, Florida, and California; it's changed dramatically.”

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​11) What role do you think immigrants play in the U.S. Economy, and then more specifically in New York City?

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• Main Points:

  • Essential across all job sectors — from restaurants to healthcare to agriculture.

  • Without them, many industries couldn’t function.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Without immigrants, you couldn't run a restaurant in New York City; they are the cooks, the servers, the busboys, the waiters.”

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• • “They're part of the doctors; they're all over—every gamut of employment has immigration in it, every gamut.”

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​12) How accessible are social services such as healthcare and education for immigrants, and then specifically in New York?

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• ​Main Points:

  • Pre-Trump: access was generally good.

  • Trump made access harder, even for citizens, via benefit cuts.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Trump is trying to make it inaccessible for all of them… he's also trying to make it inaccessible for American citizens, too… he's cutting back on health benefits for everyone, not just immigrants.”

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• • “I think they were pretty good [before Trump]; they were good—no one complained about them as they're complaining about today.”​​​

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13) What do you think are some misconceptions that people have about immigrants or the immigration process?

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• ​Main Points:

  • People think immigrants take jobs — they actually take jobs Americans don’t want.

  • Immigrants fill low-wage, physically demanding jobs in agriculture, service, and domestic work.

 

• Key Quotes:

  • “The misconception is that these people are taking away their jobs.”

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• • “They're not taking away jobs; they're taking away jobs that no one wants… they're fulfilling a need we have in the United States… doing labor that no American really wants to do.”

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​14) What world do you see without all of these jobs being filled?

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• ​Main Points:

  • Inflation and cost of living would jump dramatically — e.g., produce, housing, and construction.

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• Key Quotes

  • “Oh, well, instead of paying 50 cents, 75 cents for an apple, you could pay seven dollars for an apple.”

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• • “If you didn't have some foreigner picking your grapes and your wheat and your corn and helping in agriculture, the price inflation would go up dramatically… home building will go up dramatically… it will cost everyone a lot more money.”

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15) What do you think Trump is missing about this, and his idea that they are stealing the jobs?

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• ​Main Points:

  • He’s pandering to his political base, which feels left behind.

  • He views America through a 1950s lens — but it’s a different country now.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “Trump is a political animal who's appealing to his base, to a bunch of people in the United States who feel that the world has passed them by, and he's just politically pandering to them with these actions.

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• • “He sees America… in the 1950s when we didn't have that, but America is not the same America we had in 1950; it's 2025, it's a different America.”

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16) What policies or initiatives do you think could better support immigrants in New York or the broader America?

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• ​Main Points:

  • Need documentation and checks on entrants for safety.

  • Create a registration system for those in the U.S. to know who is here, not just for enforcement.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “The policy would be to make some sort of arrangement where… you had to cut back on the border; you just can't have people coming in without some documentation and without some check of who's in the United States.”

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• • “We have to know who's coming to the United States and have some way to register these people so that you know what's going on… right now there is no medium; it's strictly enforced and has no benefits—all it is is enforcement.”

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​17) How do you think people, political personnel, and representatives stand on these issues because of the political polarization, or is there anyone who is helping the medium, sort of speak? 

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• ​Main Points:

  • Politicians play to their bases — pro-immigrant areas vs. anti-immigrant areas.

  • Solutions require civil conversation, not rhetoric.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “People are playing to their bases; everyone is playing to their own political base—a congressman in New York is playing to his base here, which is more pro‑immigrant, and a congressman from Wyoming is playing to his base, which is anti‑immigrant.”

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• • “I think it has to be through conversation, discussion, where everyone understands what's really going on and what's really in the best interest of the United States—not filled with rhetoric but talking about the issue.”

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​18) How do you think that young people in New York City, or just in America, can learn more about the realities of immigrants, and get more involved?

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• ​Main Points:

  • Raise awareness — demonstrations, letters to representatives.

  • Even without large platforms, let leaders know policies are wrong.

  • Most immigrants are not criminals — they’re hardworking and pursuing the American dream.

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• Key Quotes:

  • “I guess just by raising the issue, maybe demonstrating, raising the issue, bringing it to the forefront of politicians, to know that they're concerned that this is wrong; you can write letters to your representative.”

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• • “The only thing you can do is let the powers that be know that this policy is wrong and that they're going down the wrong path; these people are not criminals—the vast majority of aliens who come to the United States are hard‑working people who are just trying to get by and make a living for their family.”

 

Transcript 

​

Lauren: How would you describe the current state of the U.S. Immigration system? Is there a before and after with Trump?

​

Lance Gellman: Well, the immigration system was broken before Trump came, and he just made it worse. It wasn't functioning before he came, and it's just totally dysfunctional now.

​

Lauren: What do you think are the biggest challenges immigrants face when coming to the U.S? Generally, like before the Trump administration, and then after?

​

Lance Gellman: Alright, I'm gonna back up a second. Define immigrants. Who are immigrants? Are you talking about documented or undocumented people?

​

Lauren: We can discuss both.

​

Lance Gellman: Well, immigrants who come in have no problem. Undocumented immigrants are the people who, 11 million of them, are living in the United States. So we can say their problems are much worse under Trump for the undocumented.

​

Lauren: Right. So, how do you think the U.S. should handle the undocumented immigrants?

.

Lance Gellman: That's a tough question. You have to work out some sort of system where they could…you know, we need the labor in the United States. And they're functioning and aiding the economy right now, so I guess you have to figure out some way that they could either get work permits or regularize their status in some way.

​

Lauren: What are your thoughts on the current asylum process in the U.S?

​

Lance Gellman: The asylum process is the same process we always had. The problem with the asylum is that these people are seeking asylum, but they're not entitled to asylum. Asylum means a political or social group. It means something not economic. Most of these people are leaving their countries for economic reasons, not political reasons.

​

Lauren: Yes. What do you think about the current visa system and its impact on skilled workers?

​

Lance Gellman: Well, we need the skilled workers, obviously. They benefit the country. There's no reason why a person who comes from, let's say, India or China or someplace like that, and goes to a great school in the United States, gets a skill, we should not have a visa available to him, because he benefits the economy.

​

Lauren: And then, what is your perspective on border security and enforcement policies?

​

Lance Gellman: I think they're overzealous right now at the border. You know, they're really going beyond the scope of what's required. Our borders were out of control under the prior administration; there's no question about that. But at the same time, you can't have this overhanded. Reaching out by some of these agents at this point, you understand?

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Lauren: Yes. No, I understand. But, do you think in terms of then compared to now, where do you see the medium between them?

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Lance Gellman: You know, like, whether before there were issues, and now they are clearly still working on it. I think the Biden administration had a lot of issues with not enforcing the law.  They had too liberal a policy, and they let people in who really didn't belong here. I mean, you have to decide what's in the best interest of the United States.

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Lauren: Yes, I understand. How do you think the U.S. can balance national security and prioritization of current citizens with being welcoming to immigrants? So that's sort of adding on to what you were saying about how before….

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Lance Gellman: Well, whether we like it or not, we are a country of immigrants, and we've always had somewhat of a welcoming relationship to immigrants, because immigrants built the United States of America. And without them, we wouldn't be where we are today. But, uh, we can't take everyone. It's a balance.

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Lauren: Right. But how do we find that balance? I know that's a hard question.

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Lance Gellman: That's impossible for me to say. I mean, you're supposed to do it with what's good in the employment realm, of what type of employees do we need in the United States? What needs do we have versus what skills these people have? That's always been the backside of immigration. Matching skills with needs.

​

Lauren: Yes. How does immigration affect the cultural landscape of the country? 

​

Lance Gellman: It's changed dramatically. I've been doing this for 50 plus years, and America had very few Hispanics, and we had Hispanics in certain areas of the United States, but now Hispanics are all over the United States. If you want to go to a restaurant in New York City, you have to speak Spanish to get good service. You know, it's tremendously changed, and for the better. You have Indian communities in New Jersey, and you have Chinese communities.

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Where I live was predominantly Jewish and Italian when I moved here 45, 50 years ago. Today, most of my neighbors are Indian. Korean and Chinese. And I'm not saying it's a bad thing. They're respectful neighbors, and they do what they're supposed to do. This thing it's changed dramatically.

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Lauren: Yeah, and then would you say New York City, compared to other areas, has changed even more, or how does it compare to others?

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Lance Gellman: I'll give you a perfect example. New York City has changed because it's always been a magnet for immigration. I went to Maine a week or so ago. And it's still… it was a maze to me, the demographics up there haven't changed as much as New York City. You can go to certain parts of the United States, go as Wyoming, but you go to Illinois, Florida, and California. It's changed dramatically.

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Lauren: Yes, and then, I mean, you spoke on this a little bit before, but what role do you think immigrants play in the U.S. Economy, and then more specifically in New York City?

​

Lance Gellman:  Without immigrants, you couldn't run a restaurant in New York City. They are the cooks, the servers, the busboys. The waiters, you couldn't have a restaurant in New York City. They're part of the doctors; they're all over… every gamut of employment has immigration in it. Every gamut.

​

Lauren: How accessible are social services such as healthcare and education for immigrants, and then specifically in New York?

Lance Gellman: Well, before Trump or after Trump? Trump is trying to make it inaccessible for all of them, you understand? And he's also trying to make it inaccessible for American citizens, too. Under this big, beautiful bill, he just passed. So, I mean, he's cutting back on health benefits for everyone, not just immigrants.

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Lauren:  If you would, speaking a little bit before the Trump administration, how accessible do you think the social services were then?

 

Lance Gellman: I think they were pretty good. They were good. No one complained about them as they're complaining about today.

​

Lauren: What do you think are some misconceptions that people have about immigrants or the immigration process? Obviously, now, Trump speaks a lot on that, but. What would you say even before the administration?

​

Lance Gellman: The misconception is that these people are taking away their jobs. They're not taking away jobs; they're taking away jobs that no one wants. They're fulfilling a need we have in the United States.  We require people to take care of their housekeepers. Gardeners, waiters, busboys. Most Americans don't want these jobs. They're doing labor that no American really wants to do.

Lauren: Yes, and then what world do you see without all of these jobs being filled?

​

Lance Gellman: Oh, well, instead of paying 50 cents, 75 cents for an apple, you could pay $7 for an apple. If you had some foreigner picking your grapes and your wheat and your corn, and helping in agriculture, the price inflation would go up dramatically. Home building will go up dramatically. All across the gamut. It will cost everyone a lot more money. Because of these laborers.

​

Lauren: Yes. So, I know this is also a hard question, but what do you think Trump is missing about this, and his idea that they are stealing the jobs?

​

Lance Gellman: Trump is a political animal who's appealing to his base, to a bunch of people in the United States who feel that the world has passed them by. And he's just politically pandering to them with these actions. That's his base, and that's what he's delivering on. He doesn't see it at all. He sees America, which you can appreciate America in the 1950s when we didn't have that, but America is not the same America we had in 1950; it's 2025. It's a different America.

​

Lauren: Yes. I know this is also a hard question, but what policies or initiatives do you think could better support immigrants in New York or the broader America? I know it's hard to kind of pin a point on that and pick a certain thing.

​

Lance Gellman: The policy would be to make some sort of arrangement where, first of all, you have…I agree that you had to cut back on the border; you just can't have people coming in without some documentation and without some check of who's in the United States. Of course, we could be letting in criminals. I'm not saying we are, or we aren't, but we have to know who's coming to the United States. And as far as policy, have some way to register these people so that you know what's going on. You understand?

​

Lauren: Right, but it's just there is no medium right now.

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Lance Gellman:  There is no medium. It's strictly enforced now and has no benefits. All it is is enforcement.

Lauren: Yeah, and then just making this up on the spot, but I just took a class at Georgetown, and we were talking about political polarization of how now America is way more polarized than it ever was before, but how do you think people, political personal and representatives stand on these issues because of the political polarization, or is there anyone that are helping the medium, sort of speak? 

​

Lance Gellman: People are playing to their bases. Everyone is playing to their own political base. A congressman in New York is playing to his base here, which is more pro-immigrant, and a congressman from Wyoming is playing to his base, which is anti-immigrant. 

​

Lauren: Right, so how do we ever get that non-political polarization….

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Lance Gellman: I think it has to be through conversation, discussion, where everyone understands what's really going on. What's really in the best interest of the United States? There have to be more discussions, and not filled with rhetoric, which is detrimental, just yelling at people, but talking about the issue.

​

Lauren: Right. Because now it's sort of, as you were saying, no one can agree on maybe there is a medium and not to just...

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Lance Gellman: Everyone's yelling at each other.

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Lauren: And then, how do you think that young people in New York City, or just in America, can learn more about the realities of immigrants, and get more involved?

​

Lance Gellman: Good question. How can they get more involved? I guess just by raising the issue. Maybe demonstrating, raising the issue, bringing it to the forefront of politicians. To know that they're concerned that this is wrong. You can write letters to your representative. 

​

Lauren: If you don't have a big following, and these people are… obviously, you can't control political representatives' minds, but how can we actually make a difference?

​

Lance Gellman: You just have to let them know that this issue is wrong, that it's the only thing you can do is let the powers that be know that this policy is wrong. And that they're going down the wrong path. The fact that it's on TV, and hopefully it's reaching a responsive chord by people seeing it on TV, that they have these people terrified out of their minds. That's wrong. These people are not criminals. The vast majority of aliens who come to the United States are not criminals. They're hard-working people who are just trying to get by and make a living for their family. And maybe support some of their parents or grandparents, wherever they come from.

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They're good, decent people, and I'm sure I know your grandparents came from a different place. My grandparents came from a different place; this is… this was the American dream. They got out of there, and they made a life for themselves, which was much better than they would have had if they stayed in Europe.

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Lauren: Thank you so much. That was very insightful.