“We All Got Played” - Art Arthur Addresses Immigration, Asylum, and Birthright Citizenship

The Republican Women of Baltimore County welcomed immigration expert Art Arthur as guest speaker on May 16, 2026. Arthur was warmly received by the audience, many of whom remembered him from his years living in the Baltimore area and previous appearances before the club.

Arthur focused much of his presentation on the ongoing controversy surrounding birthright citizenship and the broader immigration crisis facing the United States. Drawing upon his years as a former immigration judge and his current work with the Center for Immigration Studies, Arthur provided historical context, constitutional analysis, and insight into how the Supreme Court of the United States may approach upcoming decisions.

One of Arthur’s most interesting observations was that the Supreme Court traditionally leaves its most controversial rulings until the final days of its term. According to Arthur, this practice allows the justices to release difficult decisions and then quickly leave Washington before public criticism intensifies.

Arthur explained that although the birthright citizenship issue may appear simple to the average American, the Court bases its rulings heavily on constitutional history and legal precedent. He believes the Supreme Court will ultimately defer to Congress to make any final determination regarding birthright citizenship, following what he views as the constitutional framework intended by the Founders.

Throughout the presentation, Arthur walked the audience through historical court decisions and referenced questions asked by Supreme Court justices during recent proceedings. By examining those questions carefully, Arthur suggested that observers can often gain insight into how future rulings may unfold.

During the question-and-answer session, several important immigration topics were raised by attendees.

One audience member asked what Americans could do to help fix the border crisis. Arthur pointed to the 2024 border security bill debated in Congress but emphasized that, in his opinion, Congress does not need to pass new laws to secure the border.

“We don’t need Congress to act,” Arthur stated. “The laws do not need to be reformed or changed. They just need to be enforced.”

Arthur also addressed the issue of chain migration, noting that the policy expanded significantly following immigration reforms passed in 1964. He estimated that approximately 60% of immigrants arrive through chain migration pathways. According to Arthur, many immigrant families remain heavily dependent on one another and often do not fully integrate into American society. He suggested that the United States should instead adopt a merit-based “points system,” similar to systems used by other countries, where education, skills, and economic contributions are weighed before admission decisions are made.

Another audience member asked Arthur what life was like serving as an immigration judge.

Arthur described a demanding workload during his years on the bench, explaining that he once handled approximately 20 immigration cases per day. However, he noted that judges today are expected to process as many as 60 cases daily, which he described as unrealistic and unsustainable.

Arthur also discussed the growing problem of migrants filing asylum claims and then failing to appear for their court hearings. He referenced a recent article he authored for the Center for Immigration Studies titled “DOJ: Asylum Applicants Are Skipping Immigration Court at Record Levels”. In that article, Arthur wrote:

“Section 235 of the INA, for example, requires DHS to detain every inadmissible ‘applicant for admission’ until they are either admitted to this country, granted asylum, or removed, but my conservative analysis in January 2024 showed that 88.5 percent of all the aliens encountered by CBP at the borders and ports under the first three years of Biden were released into the United States instead.”

Arthur concluded his presentation with a blunt assessment of the asylum system and the financial burden placed on American taxpayers. “If the American people didn’t feel like suckers before, when they were paying billions per month to care for tens of thousands of so-called ‘asylum seekers’ arriving monthly, they should now,” Arthur stated. “We all got played by migrants who claimed to seek protection but really wanted work permits, and the worst part is that the Biden administration likely realized what was happening in real time — and simply didn’t care.”

The full presentation by Art Arthur can be viewed here: Watch the Full Presentation on YouTube

About the Center for Immigration Studies

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit research organization founded in 1985 by Otis Graham Jr. The organization provides research and analysis on the social, economic, environmental, security, and fiscal impacts of both legal and illegal immigration into the United States.

According to the organization, its staff members have testified before Congress more than 150 times. The Center describes itself as the nation’s only think tank devoted exclusively to researching U.S. immigration policy and promoting what it calls a “pro-immigrant, low-immigration” vision that seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted legally.