[tempestn]

Thanks, I was going to suggest continuing by email as well. I agree that it's nice to have a civil conversation with someone who comes from a very different point of view.

Regarding Cato, I'm more interested in the statistics themselves than the source. The travel ban obviously speaks to a real fear people have, and it's one I understand. My perspective though is that the policy itself, while it may serve to assuage those fears through bold action, doesn't actually do anything to reduce the risks that it is theoretically intended to target. I think the evidence given in that article (and others) supports that view. In fact, my belief is that if anything it increases them due to encouraging anti-US sentiment among targeted groups. It's a good thing that it makes people feel better and safer, but I feel that could be done in more positive ways, which wouldn't cause such hardship to good people planning to come to the US, and which might avoid the potential negative consequences in terms of anti-US sentiment as well.