Unpopular Opinion: I’m Actually For Open Borders

Age: 20

Lives in: New York City

Job: Student, intern at nonprofit organization

Party affiliation: Ideologically leftist, but I vote Democrat

"I think we should have open borders. After everything we did to Latin America, it would be like a form of reparations. If we didn't want people immigrating here, we shouldn't have systematically destabilized half the world and installed right-wing dictators, so that people now need to flee and there are millions of refugees. We owe these countries, because our government is directly responsible for so much of what's happened to them.

"Open borders would mean that traveling between the U.S. and Mexico would have minimal hassle. 'You've got your passport? Come on through! You want asylum? Come on through!' When it comes to border security, I think the way to make us more secure is to make it so that people aren't economically desperate. We need to remove the incentive for things like drug trafficking, human trafficking. I don't think the solution is big guns at the border."

"Healthcare and child care, which should both be completely free."

"I don’t think it is. The conversation has shifted too far to the right, and the U.S. was already far more right-leaning than most other developed, Western countries. I mean, we have a president who was endorsed by the KKK. That is insane. But I think the Overton window gets dragged to the right, and these politicians who would be considered center-left by European standards get painted as far more radical than they actually are. Take Elizabeth Warren's plan to tax the very rich. It's so far from socialism — it's just lightly progressive capitalism. Also, healthcare. People are freaking out about Medicare for All, when it's literally what every other developed country has."

"Probably Elizabeth Warren. I would ideally like someone further to the left, but I like her well enough. I'll likely vote for her. I also like a lot of what Marianne Williamson is saying. She's saying it in a wacky way, but I'm still here for it. I like what she says about reparations, and about food systems, and that she's framing it as a moral failing that we're not lifting each other up as a society. Also, wouldn't it be cool if we had a president who posted memes? I do not, however, support her view on vaccinations — I do think they should be required.

"In general, I think we should have a parliamentary system and abolish the Electoral College because rural voters get too much say. In this kind of system, the president is more of a figurehead, and I think Marianne Williamson would thrive in that function, inspiring the nation with her emotional, moral vision."

"Fortunately, I’ve been relatively insulated by living in very liberal cities. But I have been extremely upset and stressed about the prospects of war, and by having to constantly relive sexual assault. I'm so glad that the conversations of the #MeToo movement are being had and the stories are being told. But also, this administration is a super-constant, painful reminder of what could happen to you — almost a way of 'putting women in their place' and reminding them that they need to be vigilant and that abusers don't face consequences for their actions. Knowing that the man in the highest office in this country [allegedly] got away with attempted rape... It's just this grim reminder, like, 'Wow, you really don't care about us.'"