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The Trump 2.0 economy

Nov 8, 2024
In this week's "Make Me Smart" newsletter, we explore how President-elect Donald Trump's campaign promises could shape the U.S. economy over the next four years.
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Is immigration good or bad for the economy? The answer is complex.

Sep 5, 2024
Immigrants become consumers, workers and contributors to the U.S. economy. But in some places, an influx can stress budgets and infrastructure.
Many of the workers who rebuilt parts of Florida after Hurricane Ian in 2022 were unauthorized immigrants. Immigrants have a large presence in the U.S. construction industry.
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What pathways to work do immigrants without permanent legal status have?

Jul 25, 2024
Legal loopholes for working without authorization exist, as immigrants await updates to their status or work permits.
While waiting for legal authorization to work, immigrants who entered the U.S. without legal permission can get work.
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Venezuela's power blackouts are fueling a surge in migration

Jul 24, 2024
Businesses, restaurants, hospitals and citizens are all grappling with recurring power outages — and debating leaving as a result.
Above, a view of the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, on July 10, during a partial power cut.
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What immigration means for economies as populations get older

Around the world, populations are getting older. Immigration plays a role in sustaining workforces, according to new analysis.
"Over the next several decades, businesses and industries that cater to old populations — they're become a much bigger part of the economy," explained Marketplace senior economics contributor Chris Farrell.
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New era of semiconductor manufacturing clashes with dated immigration laws

Jun 26, 2024
Much is being done to shore up U.S. production of semiconductors through the CHIPS and Science Act, which will require tens of thousands of workers. But many of the highly educated engineers taking those jobs face immigration restrictions, thanks to an increasingly overwhelmed and burdensome visa process.
For the 2025 fiscal year, the grant rate was less than 20%, according to a CATO Institute analysis of government data.
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What 100-year-old immigration policy can teach us about the economy

Amid new executive actions on immigration, and 100 years since the National Origins Act, we look at how policy has shaped the economy.
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For public good, not for profit.

How migration altered the economy of this Colombian town

May 15, 2024
Necoclí, Colombia, is a key stop on the migratory route to the U.S. Traditionally dependent on tourism, its economy has shifted to serve migrants.
Migrants' tents line a beach in Necoclí, Colombia. It's a key staging post on their journey north to the U.S.
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Biden adminstration rule will give DACA recipients access to federal health insurance for the first time

May 6, 2024
It’s part of the administration’s stated intention to improve health care coverage for immigrant groups overall.
The rule was first announced a year ago and will give DACA recipients access to Obamacare exchanges.
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While El Salvador is turning around its reputation for crime, its economy still struggles

Apr 23, 2024
El Savador's President Nayib Bukele took on gang violence by introducing a state of emergency in 2022. The country is now safer, but its economy is struggling to grow.
Above, people buy vegetables in a market in in San Salvador, El Salvador, in October.
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