With Eric Cantor’s recent defeat in the Virginia Republican primary, many are wondering how immigration reform will play out in Congress as the political divide seems to grow even wider. And with rising tensions in Iraq and the ongoing crisis in Syria, there’s a new focus on how to handle refugees. 

Marketplace economics correspondent Chris Farrell  sees a light in this otherwise dark tunnel. He argues the U.S. could improve its economy as well as the safety and well-being of foreign citizens by increasing its intake of refugees. 

Click the audio player above to hear Chris Farrell in conversation with Marketplace Morning Report host David Brancaccio