Over the long-term it might not be in the national interest to favor older scientists and engineers over younger, even if they are initially paid more. Also, while the option is not currently politically viable, it would make more sense to expand quotas—we are rationing for an artificial scarcity.

A Trump admin rule to change the H-1B lottery, like other changes, hopes to make it more difficult for international students to stay in the US and work after graduation. Officials are telling employers to hire based on seniority. @mclem.org @justinwolfers.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

“The proclamation’s omissions, cherry picking and obfuscation of data indicate the admin decided on the policy details & later attempted to find material to support the policy rather than engage in a legitimate analysis.” @mclem.org @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

#WelcomingWeek2025 is a reminder of the importance of building welcoming systems. That’s why we’re proud to share A Practical Guide for New H-1B and O-1A Visa Holders, designed for professionals navigating their new lives and careers in the U.S.

He Raised Three Marines. His Wife Is American. The U.S. Wants to Deport Him. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/u...

Kavanaugh’s “it’s just not that big of a deal” concurrence isn’t so popular.

Needing to fulfill Stephen Miller’s daily immigrant arrest quota, when ICE agents came upon Korean workers at a Georgia battery plant, it was too good an opportunity to pass up, regardless of the law or economic fallout. @mclem.org @douglasrivlin.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

The US President’s attempt to seize control of our statutorily independent central bank is illegal.

This deserves extensive public debate and action by Americans' representatives in Congress. The US Executive and now Judicial branches have determined that *your race* is a basis for armed agents to assess the probability you're breaking laws, then seize and detain you with violent force.

The US Administration has moved to kneecap our universities, and bar as many foreign students and scientists from the country as it can. Reckless policymakers are destroying the American future and handing it to China. Those in Congress entrusted to protect our future sit, flaccid, watching it.

Holy crap. Postal traffic to U.S. drops over 80% after trade exemption rule ends, U.N. agency says www.npr.org/2025/09/07/n...

In seizing new law enforcement powers, USCIS Director Joe Edlow claims: “USCIS has always been an enforcement agency.” As George Orwell wrote in 1984: “Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.” @mclem.org @douglasrivlin.bsky.social @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

In Russia, the police often stop people who look like they are from the Caucasus or Central Asia, sometimes framing them for crimes or extracting bribes. Here is an excerpt from the 2023 US Department of State report on Human Rights in Russia criticizing this practice.

It turns out Stephen Miller was incorrect. “The significant drop in foreign-born workers to the United States in 2025 has not made U.S. workers better off and instead has contributed to concerns about a stagnating economy.” @mclem.org @douglasrivlin.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

news analysis L.A. Ruling Complicates Trump’s Threats to Send Troops to More Cities As Democratic cities brace for possible military deployments, Democratic governors see in a lower-court ruling the potential for legal protections. gift link www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/u...

Although the Trump admin favors steel mills over universities, US higher education institutions employ 35 times more people than the iron & steel industry (protected by costly #tariffs). Higher ed also pays higher salaries. @mclem.org @justinwolfers.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

Enormous impoundment-related changes in Trump/Vought's Circular A-11 update from Friday, which is OMB's guidance to agencies They: -removed the definition of impoundment -said GAO's impoundment determinations don't matter -claimed pocket rescission authority -claimed profound deferral authority 🧵

Worth noting, this isn't an isolated occurrence. It's why deportation and deterrent policies, such as Labour's "one in one out policy in the UK" inevitably end up boosting smugglers. They ignore why people come to any particular country, and create a never ending cycle of people needing to re-enter.

Ellen Lust from Cornell: "If the NRC & FLAS programs are shuttered permanently, the effects will be felt for generations to come..US citizens will be ill-equipped to live, work & lead in a global world.. these policies weaken the US’ global position & will make America less secure and prosperous.”

This rule would have meant I couldn't do my Ph.D. in America. I did do it in America. Became a professor. 12 thriving U.S. labs are now headed by trainees from my research lab. Like me, they are all working hard to enrich American knowledge and society. With this self-harming rule, none of that.

Russian war dead “at least 219K”

Congratulations @ilyasomin.bsky.social !

Nope, this is a false and incompetent statement by the Vice President, to justify his illegal seizure of our central bank. Untrained politicians have zero technical skill to run a central bank. Voters already do get input—by longstanding nomination & confirmation mechanisms. You know, THE LAW.

Trump officials will limit intl. students to 4 years (median to finish PhD: 5.7 years). The justification? DHS claims to protect national security it hopes a threat files an extension after 4 years so USCIS reviews their application. @mclem.org @erikbryn.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

U.S. deports at least 30 people to Russia in a single day, Russian rights activists report Many were met with criminal charges — from desertion to high treason — after returning “home.”

Trump officials will limit intl. students to 4 years (median to finish PhD: 5.7 years). The justification? DHS claims to protect national security it hopes a threat files an extension after 4 years so USCIS reviews their application. @mclem.org @erikbryn.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

The CIA officer’s dismissal sent shock waves through the workforce. “What analyst in their right mind is going to write something that in any way challenges.. what they think the administration’s view is if they think they’re going to get fired over it?” Personalist regimes destroy expertise.

🚨Border Patrol arrested two firefighters who were actively fighting a wildfire at the time. When the other members of the crew asked for a chance to say goodbye, a Border Patrol agent told the crew member “you need to get the f*ck out of here. I’m going to make you leave.”

The White House seeks politicized control over my university by forcing out our president, as it did at the University of Virginia—a page from the recipe book of authoritarian strongmen on the Left (Maduro) and Right (Orbán). Today President Washington responded to the attack. (thread)

Immigration data on the arrival of international students in July show a significant decline compared to a year earlier, including a drop of almost 50% for students from India. www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

🚨SCOOP: Trump Travel Ban Dealt Legal Blow migrantinsider.com/p/scoop-trum...

Must See TV: PIIE’s Adam S. Posen on why Trump's tariffs won't achieve stated goals www.piie.com/newsroom/sho...

Mission Accomplished for some Trump officials? “Immigration data on the arrival of international students in July show a significant decline compared to a year earlier, including a drop of almost 50% for students from India.” @mclem.org @erikbryn.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

New ICE data show that the court order banning profiling reduced ICE arrests in LA by 66%! In other words, ICE is effectively admitting that TWO THIRDS of LA arrests were unconstitutional profiling. Did they admit this to the court? NO! They lied to the courts...

Congress designed our Federal Reserve to be above interference by the president. "Congressional intent is clear in… the Banking Act of 1935. …[O]nly an act of Congress or a Supreme Court ruling could fundamentally strengthen presidential influence over monetary policy." doi.org/10.1257/jep....

"Sharp increases in tariffs… likely will do little to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and may not stop it from rising further." Summary of new research by my @piie.com colleague Maury Obstfeld—>

“Without immigrants, international students and the children of immigrants, the U.S. undergraduate student population would be almost 5 million students smaller in 2037 than 2022.” And there would be 1 million fewer graduate students. @mclem.org @erikbryn.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

Last month, the government began claiming that every person who ever entered the US illegally is ineligible for bond. This argument has been failing miserably in court so far.

Because of course he did

A $1B shakedown of UCLA. Columbia and Harvard weren't the end; they were the beginning.

A Trump-appointed judge gave officials until Thursday to prove they can legally detain migrants in the Everglades.

This policy will hobble our tourism industry and our entire international business sector, taking employment and earnings away from countless Americans while benefiting no one.

The new USCIS director will implement Stephen Miller’s agenda, including restricting asylum, directing adjudicators to tighten the approval process, backtracking on positive reforms & dismantling America’s immigrant talent pipeline. @mclem.org @erikbryn.bsky.social‬ www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

New pro bono law firm aims to bring appellate expertise to very beginning of a client’s case, to improve odds of making a successful argument before SCOTUS. It’s a game plan straight out of the Big Law playbook. But many large firms receded from this type of work to avoid drawing Trump’s wrath

Wow. Had not realized that Columbia’s settlement with Trump admin included a commitment to decrease international student enrollment. In what way does this help “combat antisemitism,” which is supposedly the administration’s objective? www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

Absolute madness. The entire concept of this is chilling.

Using financial leverage, the Trump admin compelled Columbia to agree to “take steps to decrease financial dependence on international student enrollment.” Trump officials view the (harmful) agreement as a model for other schools. @mclem.org @douglasrivlin.bsky.social www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

Insanity.