In 2019, President Trump addressed Congress, stating that legal immigration is beneficial to the nation, emphasizing that he wants a legal influx of immigrants. Fast forward to his 2024 re-election campaign, and he repeated the need for more people to come. Yet, paradoxically, since taking office, his administration’s actions have significantly curtailed legal immigration. While illegal immigration has dropped slightly, the reduction in legal immigration has been more pronounced. A report highlighted by the Cato Institute, which Trump referenced, pointed out that the legal immigration decline is where the real change lies.
Trump had previously vowed to support Christian refugees, but that commitment seems to have faltered. In 2024, he slashed the refugee cap from 125,000 down to just 7,500, a move that largely affected Christian refugees, who once made up most of the legal entries. Right now, only a limited number of South Africans are being accepted, leaving many religious persecution victims in limbo.
If those in need manage to reach U.S. borders, the law allows them to seek asylum. Back in 2018, Trump encouraged asylum applicants, promising them a fair entry process. However, in January 2025, he signed an executive order that nearly eliminated asylum applications—reducing legal entries to almost zero. On his Truth Social platform, he pointed to a report’s findings about the drop in legal asylum seekers, claiming that his policies were unparalleled in American history.
Trump often praises his family’s immigration journey, reflecting on its beauty and legality. However, his administration has made it increasingly difficult for even close relatives of U.S. citizens to obtain visas. In December, he enforced an executive order that barred lawful immigration from 40 countries, later expanding this ban to over 90 nations. As a result, a significant portion of immigrant visas—including those for spouses and children of American citizens—are now effectively blocked.
This isn’t solely about family. Workers, too, have felt the impacts of these visa restrictions. One single father, unable to bring caregivers from Sierra Leone for his adult children with disabilities, shared how deeply this affects him—adding immense strain to his life. These measures aren’t based on careful individual assessments; they just leave many deserving applicants in limbo, with some denial decisions occurring after years of extensive vetting.
Additionally, the government collects considerable fees from legal immigrants, amounting to nearly $1 billion, while imposing hurdles with various policies. Though Trump has pushed for merit-based immigration reform, even highly skilled workers face tougher regulations now. Last September, he introduced a hefty $100,000 fee for applying for an H-1B visa. He claimed that this approach was designed to ensure that the U.S. gets the right workers, but the fee has led to a drastic drop in applications, with about 90% of skilled workers from abroad being locked out of the process.
Trump has expressed concern about losing talented foreign students, often emphasizing the importance of keeping them in the U.S. since their tuition helps subsidize American students’ education. In 2025, he warned that halving student visas could threaten many universities’ existence. Still, his administration cut student visas by 40% last summer, which resulted in a loss of $3 billion in revenue and forced universities to cut various programs. Many institutions remain hopeful that these visa restrictions will eventually be lifted.
When you tally up these reductions, it becomes clear that the administration has restricted legal immigration twice as much as illegal immigration. This doesn’t align with the president’s public statements. What’s causing this disconnect?
Perhaps the president’s advisors play a significant role. They often frame these cuts as targeting only problematic immigrants rather than acknowledging the broader impact on numbers and needs. When Trump signed the H-1B executive order, he was told that it would help companies find top talent. This narrative doesn’t match the reality of drastically cutting skilled worker visas by 90%—a notable contradiction to Trump’s assertion of needing more people.
The president is correct in understanding that the U.S. requires more people, especially as population growth rates have seen a substantial drop. The Social Security system is already strained due to a lack of workers, and the workforce is at risk of decline. With fewer workers supporting an increasing number of retirees, economic pressures will only continue to rise.
Advisors like Stephen Miller have claimed that immigration contributes heavily to the national debt. While it’s true that some immigrants might pose challenges, numerous studies across a range of viewpoints agree that legal immigration is beneficial to the U.S. economy.
While it’s clear that the legal immigration system has its flaws, serious improvements are needed. The focus should be on enhancing processes, limiting welfare access, and allowing legal immigrants to contribute fully to the nation. It would be wise for Trump to heed his own advice to ensure that the U.S. has the talent it truly needs. Let’s work towards better immigration policies that harness the benefits of legal entry.
