Trump’s AI Executive Order Fails to Address Immigration Policy

Trump’s Executive Order On AI Does Not Mention Immigration Policy

“It is the policy of the United States to sustain and enhance America’s global AI dominance in order to promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security,” according to a presidential executive order issued January 23, 2025. To achieve this policy objective, the order tasks officials, including the special advisor for AI and crypto, to submit an action plan within 180 days.

Unlike Joe Biden’s executive order on AI, which Trump repealed, the new executive order does not mention immigration policy. Biden’s order called on the secretaries of state and homeland security to “attract and retain talent in AI and other critical and emerging technologies in the United States economy” including by streamlining visa petitions and applications for individuals who will come to America “to work on, study, or conduct research in AI or other critical and emerging technologies.”

Economic Report Shows Significant Immigration Policy Role For Retaining AI Talent

A report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers published at the end of the Biden administration states, “Between 40% and 60% of AI-related master’s degrees have been awarded to non-U.S. citizens in the last 5 years. For Ph.D.’s, this share has been above 50% since 2003, most recently 59% in 2022.” (The figure may be higher if one defines “AI-related” more broadly.)

Retaining Talent

The report notes a significant shortcoming in the U.S. immigration system: Retaining talented people. The economists who authored the study indicated that liberalized reforms “could help increase the supply of top talent in the United States.”

Young Engineers Crucial For China’s DeepSeek AI Startup

H-1B visas are the primary immigration category for retaining foreign talent and often the only practical work option for high-skilled foreign nationals. H-1B visa critics most oppose the ability of U.S. companies to hire young foreign-born tech talent out of U.S. universities, claiming that should not be allowed since they compete with older U.S.-born engineers. Research shows that H-1B visa holders expand job opportunities for U.S. professionals, including by encouraging more investment. U.C.-Davis professor Giovanni Peri and his colleagues concluded, “We find no evidence that H-1B workers displace native-born computer-related workers in a local labor market.”

Conclusion

Donald Trump’s plans to ensure America’s AI leadership could fail without enacting policies to attract and retain foreign talent. The report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers finds immigration remains crucial to the U.S. artificial intelligence workforce. A National Foundation for American Policy study concluded, “Immigrants have founded or cofounded nearly two-thirds (65% or 28 of 43) of the top AI companies in the United States, and 70% of full-time graduate students in fields related to artificial intelligence are international students.”

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of the Trump AI executive order?

A: The purpose of the Trump AI executive order is to sustain and enhance America’s global AI dominance in order to promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security.

Q: Does the Trump AI executive order mention immigration policy?

A: No, the Trump AI executive order does not mention immigration policy.

Q: What is the significance of immigration policy in retaining AI talent?

A: Immigration policy plays a significant role in retaining AI talent, as a report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers finds that immigration remains crucial to the U.S. artificial intelligence workforce.

Q: What is the current state of U.S. immigration policy on AI talent?

A: The current state of U.S. immigration policy on AI talent is restrictive, with many policies and rules working against retaining foreign-born talent from U.S. universities, including proposals to restrict international students from studying or working in the United States and a Labor Department rule aimed at pricing H-1B visa holders and employment-based immigrants out of the U.S. labor market.

Q: What is the impact of Trump’s immigration policies on AI talent?

A: Trump’s immigration policies, including proposals to restrict international students from studying or working in the United States and a Labor Department rule aimed at pricing H-1B visa holders and employment-based immigrants out of the U.S. labor market, have had a negative impact on AI talent, making it more difficult for companies to attract and retain foreign-born talent.