Sen. Elissa Slotkin wants you to think about immigration differently. Not as a culture war, but as an economic policy. On Saturday, she took to X to argue that the U.S. needs an immigration system that actually works for the economy and reflects American values.
"We need an immigration system that works for our economy, and reflects our values," Slotkin said. "And we can create a system where legal, vetted immigrants who want a better life can contribute to our economic future."
In a video accompanying the post, she doubled down: the system should work "for us, for our economy, and for the immigrants wanting a better life."
Her core argument? Demographics. The U.S. is getting older, and that's a problem for growth. "If we want to grow as a state, we need to acknowledge we're getting older," Slotkin said. She pointed out that immigrants drive "innovation" and "entrepreneurial activity." The solution, in her view, is to let "legal, vetted immigrants" "come work here and play."
Trump Administration Immigration Changes
Slotkin's comments come amid a broader immigration policy shake-up. Earlier this month, the Trump administration proposed changes to the 2030 Census that could exclude undocumented immigrants and some legally present noncitizens without permanent-resident status from the population count used for congressional apportionment. The proposal also sought to remove certain demographic questions, drawing criticism from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Separately, the State Department was reportedly considering requiring parents to prove their U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status when applying for passports for their children, as part of Trump's efforts to change birthright citizenship rules.
Immigration Policy Debate Intensifies
Last week, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) called for stronger immigration enforcement and an end to certain taxpayer-funded benefits for noncitizens, arguing that congressional inaction had affected border communities, emergency rooms and legal immigrants.
In August, Moody's chief economist Mark Zandi linked rising unemployment among U.S.-born workers to weaker labor demand and Trump administration immigration policies, warning that reduced immigration could contribute to stagflation. He also cited tariffs and the Iran war as supply-side shocks.
Previously, billionaire investor Bill Ackman called for an immigration overhaul to retain highly skilled workers and researchers, arguing that the U.S. should fast-track visas for top talent to encourage innovation, business creation and economic growth.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.
