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Contributing Scholar: Cody Nager

Three Keys to Fixing US Immigration

Since its founding, the United States has wrestled with striking the right balance between openness and security in its immigration policy. By simplifying today’s complex immigration system, prioritizing selection with national goals, and recognizing the importance that state and local governments can play, America has the opportunity to finally strike that proper balance.

Three Keys to Fixing US Immigration

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Three Keys to Fixing US Immigration

Comment

Published July 17, 2025

Immigration has shaped America since its founding, but the current system is burdened by the complexity of immigration procedures and lacks strategic direction. The nation once prioritized selectivity, simplicity, and local input — principles that advanced both economic growth and the civic cohesion of the United States. Restoring those principles can help modernize immigration policy to meet today’s national priorities. It’s a path toward a system that is both principled and practical.

Check out more from Cody Nager:

Read "Executive Power and the Alien Enemies Act" by Cody Nager here.
Read "The Tension Between Openness and Security" by Cody Nager here.
Read "Lessons for American Immigration Policy from the Past" by Cody Nager here.

Learn more about Cody Nager here.

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The opinions expressed in this video are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.