Under Trump, Skilled Immigration Is Still Working Fine
America needs immigrants, but primarily those who can contribute to our economy and—as they have done for centuries—embrace the American dream.
One enduring criticism of President Trump’s border and immigration policies is that by rejecting mass immigration, the United States is both abandoning its historic purpose and squandering its economic future. Even establishment outlets like The Economist see the departure, forced or not, of up to 2 million illegal immigrants as auguring a “zero migration America.”
True, some MAGA activists seem determined to reduce even legal immigration. This is both misguided and unlikely, especially given the strong possibility that Congress will be more Democratic after next year’s midterm elections. But though the surge in illegal migration has now been reversed, U.S. legal immigration remains at basically pre-Trump levels, even if naturalization requests have dropped somewhat.
Critically, the big shift of talent to the U.S.—primarily from Europe, India, and China—proceeds apace. The United States remains a top destination for STEM professionals, offering some of the highest energy salaries globally and the highest pay for independent contractors.
If anything, America’s appeal is growing. A recent study by Airswift, a company that specializes in recruiting skilled workers, found that relocation interest has increased from 16 percent in 2021 to 22 percent in 2025—this, despite growing complications in U.S. visa application processes, like the flawed H-1B program.
Such educated immigrants represent a powerful national asset. Most come from such places as India, China, and the former Soviet Union, the latter of which has sent 2.2 million people to the U.S. since 1965, including the founders of Google and WhatsApp. (By contrast, the Biden-era migration wave has come largely from south of the border, drawing disproportionately from populations in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean that, on average, have lower levels of formal education than immigrants from East and South Asia or sub-Saharan Africa.)
Politics
National Civitas Institute Poll: Americans are Anxious and Frustrated, Creating a Challenging Environment for Leaders
The poll reveals a deeply pessimistic American electorate, with a majority convinced the nation is on the wrong track.
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Liberal Democracy Reexamined: Leo Strauss on Alexis de Tocqueville
This article explores Leo Strauss’s thoughts on Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1954 “Natural Right” course transcript.
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Long Distance Migration as a Two-Step Sorting Process: The Resettlement of Californians in Texas
Here we press the question of whether the well-documented stream of migrants relocating from California to Texas has been sufficient to alter the political complexion of the destination state.
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Who's That Knocking? A Study of the Strategic Choices Facing Large-Scale Grassroots Canvassing Efforts
Although there is a consensus that personalized forms of campaign outreach are more likely to be effective at either mobilizing or even persuading voters, there remains uncertainty about how campaigns should implement get-out-the-vote (GOTV) programs, especially at a truly expansive scale.
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The Iran War and the Coming Global Struggle
The United States is growing more risk-tolerant, more willing to accept regional instability as a strategic tool, and deliberately positioning itself for the far greater challenge of confronting China in the coming decades.
Postliberalism’s Hungary Gambit Failed
With Viktor Orbán’s party losing power in Hungary and postliberals at odds with the Trump administration over the Iran War, this iteration of postliberalism looks once again bound not only to fail in terms of its own principles but also to remain politically relevant.
