In Erik Larson's "In the Garden of Beasts," the American political narrative during the time framed the plight of Jews primarily as an immigration issue. The rising tensions and persecution of Jews in Germany created concerns in the U.S. about a potential surge of Jewish refugees, challenging the nation's ability to manage the influx amid the economic struggles of the Great Depression.

This focus on immigration highlighted the complexities of American attitudes towards refugees and the delicate balance between humanitarian concerns and national interests. As the situation in Germany worsened, the fear of too many Jewish immigrants became intertwined with economic anxieties, revealing deep-seated issues in American political discourse.