Podcast Summary: "Deport All Illegals | Change My Mind"

Louder with Crowder – November 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this installment of the "Change My Mind" series, Steven Crowder sets up at the University of Oklahoma to discuss one of the most contentious topics in American politics: whether all illegal immigrants in the United States should be deported. Crowder invites students and passersby to engage in open debate, aiming to reason through opposing views. The main theme revolves around the moral, economic, and cultural implications of mass deportation, the definition of American identity, and immigration policy in 2025.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Framing the Debate: Crowder’s Stance on Deportation

• Crowder clearly states his support for the deportation of all illegal immigrants.

  • "Wholesale. I support deporting all illegal aliens in this country, certainly in 2025. I think it’s imperative for a multitude of reasons. And if you disagree, you’re more than welcome to change my mind." (03:31)

• Rationale:

  • He presents arguments focused on legal clarity (illegality of residence), economic impact, and cultural assimilation.
  • Refers to significant net costs to taxpayers (citing figures between $150-450 billion per year).
  • Emphasizes distinction between legal and illegal immigration, including reference to personal experiences (his mother and wife as naturalized citizens).

2. First Exchange: Crowder vs. Savannah (Social Work Student)

Segments: 00:00–23:17

a. Tone and Approach to Conversation

• Crowder insists the "Change My Mind" series is about good-faith debate, not viral dunking or manipulation. (02:41)
• Savannah expresses skepticism about having a productive conversation, citing Crowder's "demeaning tidbits" and reliance on statistical arguments.

Savannah [03:25]: "I don’t think that I can change your mind, and I don’t think you can change mine. Although I’d like to see you try."

b. Defining Terms

• Savannah asks Crowder to define "illegal" and clarify exactly who he thinks should be deported.
• Crowder responds: "Anyone who is in this country illegally, who committed the misdemeanor of coming to this country illegally or visa overstays, which make up a percentage..." (05:39)

c. Historical and Philosophical Arguments

• Savannah raises the "stolen land" argument (09:02), questioning the legitimacy of labeling anyone as "illegal" on "stolen land."
• Crowder redirects to practical matters, insisting on "real world" applicability and clarity regarding contemporary law and policy.

d. Practicality, Costs, and Policy Solutions

• Crowder challenges Savannah (and by extension, opposing arguments) to propose a practical alternative to mass deportation.
• Savannah ultimately asserts, "I don't think that anyone should be deported unless maybe someone's being extradited back to a country of origin." (09:47)

e. Circularity and Communication Breakdown

• Conversation becomes tense with mutual accusations of misrepresentation, circular logic, and interruption.

Savannah [13:58]: "Well, it's almost as if that you're insinuating that illegal citizens do not pay taxes."

Crowder [14:21]: "I would say it's interesting the way you interpret it, because what I said is they cost the American taxpayer 150 to 450 billion..."

f. Clash on Social Work, Empathy, and Identity

• Savannah tries to explore Crowder’s background—his references to "my lady" and immigrant family.
• Crowder pushes back, defending these as personal and culturally rooted identifiers.

Crowder [20:11]: "When you say listening to people and finding out where they're coming from, perhaps when you ask questions, listening to the answers and taking an interest in the reasoning, the rationale, the logic behind it..."

g. Debate Dissolves

• Savannah ultimately feels the conversation isn’t productive due to perceived disrespect and lack of genuine exchange. The interaction ends amicably, but with clear frustration on both sides. (23:04)

3. Second Exchange: Crowder vs. Andy (Vietnamese-American Student)

Segments: 25:26–44:58

a. Economic Arguments Reiterated

• Crowder lays out claims that illegal immigrants generate a net drain on taxpayer finances and that deportation, though costly upfront, could result in savings within 1–2 years.

Crowder [28:01]: "The average cost to deport an illegal alien right now is... about $17,000. So if we deported, let’s just say the 20 million who came in under Biden... it would be net savings."

b. The Logic of Jobs and Fairness

• Andy raises the point that some immigrants come looking for work and may even be more skilled than domestic workers.
• Crowder counters that Americans are excluded from both low- and high-skilled jobs due to cheaper immigrant labor and that “America should prioritize Americans.”

c. Assimilation & Culture

• The discussion turns to cultural assimilation, language requirements, and the idea of American identity.
• Crowder: "If Americans aren't good enough for low skilled labor, they're not good enough for high skilled labor... At what point do you say, hey, Americans matter too. Is that fair?" (32:01–33:09)
• Andy acknowledges the complexity, noting American culture evolves and is a "melting pot," but Crowder distinguishes between integration and parallel, non-assimilating communities.

d. Policy Compromise

• Crowder proposes a "middle ground": let illegal immigrants stay if they pay back taxes plus interest, pass a language and civics test, and prove community contribution—otherwise, deported.

Crowder [43:13]: "If we catch you and you’re here illegally, all right, you can stay if you pay all your back taxes... pass a language test... and provide proof of contribution..."

• Andy finds this “pretty fair,” but wonders about the immediacy and practicality.

4. Third Exchange: Crowder vs. Joshua (Mexican-American Student)

Segments: 45:39–69:17

a. Possibility and Enforcement

• Joshua doubts whether it is possible to deport everyone and questions the justice of blanket policies.
• Crowder concedes total enforcement is impractical, but reaffirms the principle as a policy goal.

b. Children of Immigrants and “Deprivation”

• Joshua, the child of immigrants, shares his pride in educational opportunity and worries that mass deportation denies similar opportunities to others.

Joshua [48:09]: "You kind of rob sort of children as myself... from an opportunity like this... It means the world to me."

• Crowder responds, "Why is it the American citizens job to provide that?"

c. Jobs, Wages, and Employment

• Both agree Americans are harmed by wage competition and that, contrary to stereotypes, both immigrants and native-born Americans aspire to more than just “blue-collar” jobs.
• They discuss the frustration when Americans are displaced by cheaper foreign labor on H1-B visas.

d. National Character and Cultural Preservation

• They agree that a strong America is desirable, and Joshua appreciates being in a country where he feels safe and able to pursue social mobility.
• Crowder asserts that melting pot ideals should not trump the necessity of shared language, values, and patriotism, stating both economic and cultural reasons for more restrictive policy.
• Joshua acknowledges some Americans have turned away from celebrating diversity due to linguistic and cultural divides.

Joshua [57:25]: "We kind of used to... admire being such a boiling pot and now it kind of seems like we are straying away from that."

e. Solutions and Practicality

• Joshua asks for workable policy recommendations.
• Crowder suggests the path forward must include an official language and "selectivity" in legal immigration, enforcing requirements for economic contribution and assimilation.

f. “Less American” and Identity

• Crowder admits to viewing non-English-speaking immigrants as “less American,” distinguishing between race and cultural contribution.
• Joshua accepts the distinction as reasonable, not racist.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Economic Costs

• Crowder [25:30]:
  "Illegal aliens cost a taxpayer in this country anywhere from 150 billion on the low end to $450 billion a year. Taxpayers, let's split it and call it 350 billion or so. That's a lot. And there's no reason for it because it's something that could be prevented."

On Assimilation and Identity

• Crowder [07:15]:
  "My mom is French Canadian... she went through the process... my woman is Latina... Both of them actually are far more aggressive than I am in deporting illegal aliens because they appreciate the citizenship."

On Historical Perspective

• Savannah [09:02]:
  "If we're talking about the colonial era... how can people be illegal on stolen land?"

On Policy and Compromise

• Crowder [43:13]:
  "If we catch you and you’re here illegally, all right, you can stay if you pay all your back taxes... pass a language test... and provide proof of contribution..."

On Language and American Identity

• Crowder [13:46]:
  "Why should the American taxpayer keep footing the bill for current criminals who are also illegal aliens? That's... who are affected."

• Andy [37:19]:
  "I feel patriotism is a big part of it [American culture]. And also just like the, like self working man, right? Like you're pulling yourself up by the bootstrap."

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• (03:31) Crowder clearly states his position on deporting all illegal immigrants
• (05:39) Defining “illegal” for the discussion
• (09:02) Savannah brings up “stolen land” as a challenge to current legality
• (13:58–14:49) Back-and-forth about tax contributions of illegal immigrants
• (20:11–22:15) Clashes over conversational style and debate etiquette
• (28:01–28:47) Economic calculation of deportation costs vs. benefits
• (32:01–33:09) Job market and cultural assimilation discussion with Andy
• (43:13) Crowder’s proposed “middle ground” policy for illegal immigrants
• (48:09) Joshua shares personal experience as a child of immigrants
• (55:21–56:06) Discussion of race, culture, and American identity
• (63:10–64:16) Crowder describes changes in immigration policy enforcement
• (67:13) Crowder articulates "less American" concept for non-assimilating immigrants

Overall Tone and Style

• Crowder leads with assertiveness, often challenging guests to defend their positions with specificity and clarity, using statistics and personal anecdotes.
• Guests (especially Savannah) express discomfort with perceived debate structure and communication dynamics, including occasional complaints about being interrupted or mischaracterized.
• Tone becomes more collaborative with Andy and Joshua, leading to some areas of agreement and more mutual respect, though philosophical and policy disagreements persist.
• The atmosphere is robust, direct, and occasionally tense but with attempts at ending on amicable terms.

Additional Notes

• Crowder often references his own family’s immigration background to bolster his stance on legal immigration and assimilation.
• Several participants raise concerns about moving goalposts and the danger of circular argumentation in debates of this kind.
• Each conversation returns cyclically to questions of practicality: how mass deportation would or would not work, definitions of fairness, and the actual meaning of American identity.
• Crowder prioritizes economic and cultural arguments, while guests often emphasize compassion, personal stories, or philosophical questions about justice.

This episode acts as a microcosm of the wider immigration debate in America, balancing competing interests of law, economics, identity, and empathy, while exposing the gaps and sticking points in the pursuit of compromise or consensus.