Defenders of mass migration often argue that Australia’s ‘skilled’ immigration system boosts the nation’s productivity because migrants are more skilled than locals and earn higher incomes.
In January 2026, during Operation Country Roads, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and state and local law enforcement detained roughly 600 immigrants across West Virginia.
Even assuming a return to baseline immigration in 2029, the current slowdown in immigration will likely have long-run impacts on business formation and productivity.
