Tip Sheets
Trump administration has ‘unique opportunity to rethink immigration policy’
November 21, 2024
Media Contact
Damien Sharp
Anticipating tougher restrictions after President Trump’s January inauguration, approximately 1,500 migrants have formed a caravan en route to the U.S. border. The development reinforces the idea that militarized borders and restrictive immigration policies may deter some, but won’t stop migration altogether, says a Cornell University expert.
Matt Hall, a professor of public policy whose research focuses on immigration and assessing the economic and social impacts of unauthorized migration, says the Trump administration has a unique opportunity to rethink immigration policy.
Matthew Hall
Associate Professor of Policy and Management
“Militarized borders and restrictive immigration policies may deter some, but they often change how and when people migrate rather than stopping migration altogether. Broader forces like demographic pressures, economic inequality, and climate-induced crises are intensifying pressures to migrate. These forces are structural and long-term, meaning people in desperate situations will continue to risk everything to seek safety and opportunity, despite the barriers.
“The new administration has a unique opportunity to rethink immigration policy—not solely as a threat to manage, but as an opportunity to address critical challenges like labor shortages, aging populations, and the revitalization of declining communities. Immigration can play a vital role in supporting economic growth and regional development. A one-way, anti-immigration stance ignores these potential benefits and misses a chance to craft solutions that benefit both migrants and host countries.”
