If their home countries have such dysfunctional civil societies — jihadi sectarian war in Syria, out-of-control criminal gang violence in El Salvador — then we ought rightly be cautious about inviting these people to live among us.

You already are, that’s the point. If you ever had gone through the refugee/immigration process, you would realize that this is a given.

Also, the people who usually seek refuge, are not the problem. They’re leaving those dysfunctional societies. They’re the victims, not the perpetrators. I can guarantee you none of the perpetrators would even get a refugee/asylum/immigration appointment. Why go to a country that can put them in prison?

Generalization isn’t going to get you anywhere. It just makes you look worse. Imagine if the world would only judge Americans by their war policies, their love of guns, their school shootings, colleges not protecting rape victims, the now horrid corruption, the racism, the xenophobia…