Leadership Quote by William L. Jenkins

A phrase like "does a disservice" is political velvet over a steel argument: it frames the diversity visa not as imperfect, but as morally backward, a program that actively harms both the nation and the "right" kind of immigrant. Jenkins isn’t merely critiquing policy mechanics; he’s policing legitimacy. By invoking "our immigration policy", he positions the state as a coherent moral actor whose integrity is being compromised. That quiet possessive "our" signals ownership and boundary-setting: immigration belongs to a defined public, and the public is owed a certain kind of selection process.

The real work happens in the contrast between "diversity visa" and "the more traditional process". "Traditional" is doing double duty: it suggests procedural fairness (waiting your turn) and cultural continuity (the familiar, the acceptable). It implies that diversity visas are a shortcut, a deviation, or even an undeserved lottery win. The subtext is less about visas than about deservingness - who earned entry through compliance, paperwork, and time, versus who benefited from a system designed to broaden the immigrant pool beyond existing pipelines.

Contextually, this kind of language shows up when lawmakers argue for "merit" frameworks or for tightening migration channels associated with randomness or redistribution. The statement appeals to immigrants already inside the system by offering them symbolic compensation: your struggle counts; someone else’s pathway cheapens it. It's a classic wedge, turning immigrant groups into rival claimants for moral standing, while keeping the core question - what immigration is for, economically and civically - safely offstage.