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It would help if this clown could get his facts right.
Despite the heat emanating from the current debate on immigration, the proportion of foreign-born residents today approximates those in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before the Great Depression, War World II and Cold War spawned policies to restrict entry to the country, Johnson said.

The main immigration restrictions were implemented immediately after the First World War (1926 IIRC), although several groups were restricted before this. These restrictions were not eased untill after the Second World War.

The "restrictions" mainly occurred in 1924, and knocked immigration down from around 1,000,000 per year to 300-400,000. The Depression and WW 2 made it either unattractive or impossible to get to the US. After WW 2, except for a big burst with refugees and war brides immediately after the war, we went back to the 300-400,000 per year -- there were no significant changes in the law until 1965, and no big rise in immigration, even counting illegals, until the 1975-85 period.

However, today's LEGAL immigration, at around 1,000,000 per year, is about the same, as a proportion of the total population, as the "restrictionist" period 1925-29.

Personally, I think we do need many immigrants, but we should make them bid for the right (in addition to whatever background, health, etc checks we want). Brain surgeons and opera stars would bid high. People who want to hire "cheap" gardeners would have to pay a stiff fee for the privilege. Either set a fee level, and see how many want to come at that level -- or set a number, and see what price clears the market. In either case, enforce the law, collect back taxes, and clear out those who won't comply.