Michael Knowles Discusses Cultural Shifts, Crime Narratives, and Misused Government Funds in Immigration Debate

Top Points

• Knowles argued that immigrant attitudes toward assimilation have fundamentally changed: He said earlier waves of immigrants sought to become American, while many modern immigrants try to make America conform to the cultures they left behind.

• Knowles challenged the claim that immigrants do not commit crime: He said illegal immigration is itself a crime and added that cartel groups operating in the United States are criminal immigrant organizations involved in serious illegal activity.

• Knowles warned that the welfare state allows government funds to flow indirectly to dangerous groups: He argued that cartels and terrorist organizations exploit migrant networks and public benefit systems, resulting in taxpayer money supporting hostile actors.

Full Report:

On a recent episode of The Michael Knowles Show, host Michael Knowles addressed what he described as three major misunderstandings shaping the nation’s current immigration debate. Knowles argued that a dramatic cultural shift has taken place in attitudes toward assimilation, challenged claims that immigrants do not contribute to crime, and raised concerns about the misuse of public funds that he believes ultimately benefits criminal and terrorist organizations.

Knowles Says Immigrant Attitudes Toward Assimilation Have Shifted Dramatically

Knowles began the segment by contrasting past immigration patterns with those he sees today. He argued that during the major waves of immigration in the late 1800s and early 1900s, newcomers generally arrived with a strong desire to assimilate and “become American” in language, customs, and civic identity. According to Knowles, this earlier model strengthened national unity and helped create a shared American culture across diverse communities.

He contrasted this with what he sees in the current era of mass migration. Knowles said many modern immigrants do not arrive with the intention of adopting American norms but instead attempt to recreate the cultural, social, or political environments of the countries they left behind. He specifically referenced migration from South America and the Middle East, arguing that this shift represents a fundamental change in expectation and national cohesion.

Knowles Challenges Claims That Immigrants Do Not Commit Crime

The second point Knowles addressed was what he called a misleading narrative about crime rates among immigrants. He said Democrats frequently argue that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans, but he disputed the framing of that claim.

Knowles argued that illegal immigration is itself a crime, and therefore any person who enters or resides in the country unlawfully has already engaged in criminal activity by definition. He went further, adding that many cartel-affiliated organizations operating in the United States are “criminal immigrant organizations” made up of individuals who cross the border explicitly to commit or coordinate illegal acts. In his view, treating immigration and crime as two unrelated issues prevents the public from understanding the broader security implications of border policy.

Knowles Raises Alarm About Government Funds Flowing to Dangerous Groups

The third topic Knowles highlighted was what he sees as the misuse of government funds through expansive welfare and social programs. He argued that the structure of the welfare state, combined with the scale of illegal immigration, allows taxpayer-funded benefits to flow indirectly into the hands of criminal organizations, including cartels and terrorist groups.

Knowles claimed that these organizations exploit loopholes in the system, either by manipulating migrant networks or by controlling the movement of individuals who ultimately receive government-funded assistance once inside the United States. In his view, this amounts to a pipeline of public money being funneled to groups that work against American national security interests.

Knowles Says the Three Issues Are Connected

Knowles concluded the segment by arguing that these issues, cultural assimilation, crime narratives, and misuse of government funds, are not separate but deeply intertwined. A culture that abandons assimilation, he said, becomes more vulnerable to fragmentation. Policies that minimize the criminal element of illegal immigration obscure threats posed by cartels and foreign networks. And a welfare system that lacks safeguards reinforces those dangers by providing resources that can be redirected toward hostile organizations.

According to Knowles, addressing immigration honestly requires recognizing all three dimensions at once rather than evaluating them in isolation.

References

• The Michael Knowles Show. Episode discussing assimilation, crime narratives, and misuse of government funds in the context of immigration. Daily Wire.

• Knowles, Michael. Commentary on cultural shifts and security concerns related to modern immigration. The Michael Knowles Show, Daily Wire.