Trump’s Immigration Opportunity

If the president-elect unleashes the kind of boom supply-side economics can create, America is going to need more people.

Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Immigrants on Ellis Island. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

“An unprecedented surge.” That’s how the Times is trumpeting the upswing in migration to America since 2021. The paper reports that the wave of newcomers “has been the largest in U.S. history, surpassing even the levels of the late 1800s and early 1900s.” No wonder, the Times says, it was a major issue on Election Day. It suggests an opportunity for President-elect Trump to clamp down on illegal migration while opening the door wider to legals.

The numbers put out by the Times are certainly eye-opening. The net migration since 2001 “will likely exceed eight million people,” the Times says, including “both legal and illegal immigration.” That is certainly unprecedented: “Never before has annual net migration been close to two million for an extended period,” the Times adds, pointing to data from the Census Bureau and the Congressional Budget Office.

Enter your email to read this article.

Get 2 free articles when you subscribe.

or
Have an account? This is also a sign-in form.
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Advertisement
The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use