This executive order slams the door on refugees who are already thoroughly vetted, shutting off a pipeline of motivated workers and future taxpayers who would help stabilize local economies and lower long-term enforcement costs. By halting legal avenues for desperate people, it forces them into irregular paths—driving up border expenses and straining local law enforcement. It also leaves rural towns and aging industries with gaping labor shortages that hurt American businesses and raise consumer prices. Meanwhile, eradicating our global reputation as a refuge for the persecuted erodes U.S. leverage in trade deals and alliances—an own-goal that compromises national security. Even those who don’t care about moral obligations should see how this single policy multiplies tax burdens, encourages illegal crossings, and undermines both economic stability and America’s competitive edge.
