What If Immigration Crackdowns Aren’t About Immigration at All?
A theory about AI, job loss, and the convenient scapegoating of immigrants
The other night I watched Mountainhead, a dark satire about a reclusive tech billionaire. It wasn’t a great movie, but it did its job. There were a few brilliant moments buried beneath the intended tech billionaire dick-wagging that actually made me laugh out loud. I especially loved the running gag of food and apps multiplying between camera cuts—like an ever-growing buffet no four people could possibly finish in one sitting. The movie posed the kind of question that sticks with you, even if the storytelling doesn’t. Right after, I found myself thinking about the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” that just passed, and how quickly politicians are ramping up deportations, border theatrics, and “us vs. them” messaging.
It got me wondering: What if this sudden urgency to push immigrants out isn’t really about immigration?
What if it's about AI?
Or more specifically, the wave of job displacement AI is about to cause, and how we’re quietly getting ready for the fallout.
About two weeks ago, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy emailed employees with a blunt warning: AI is going to replace certain roles. In his June 17, 2025 memo, he wrote:
“We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today ... in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce.”
This wasn’t subtle. And it’s not theoretical anymore. One of the most powerful companies in the world is saying the quiet part out loud. The AI wave is already here—it’s just that most people don’t see it until it reaches their shore.
So here’s my basic theory. Maybe it’s obvious to you already. If so, please let me know so we can be friends, but we all show up to the party of realization on our own timeline, snacks in hand, slightly confused.😂
Immigrants have historically filled lower-wage, manual labor roles. But AI and automation are starting to swallow those jobs too, not just the white-collar ones. And rather than confront the root issue, governments and corporations are distracting the public. They’re pointing fingers at immigrants to “protect” jobs that are disappearing anyway.
Sounds wild? Maybe.
But when you zoom out, it starts to make sense.
What’s Really at Risk Right Now
We’re not just talking about software engineers and content writers.
AI is already creeping into warehouse work, food prep, delivery logistics, and even basic caregiving roles. (Walmart and Amazon have both piloted robotic stocking and delivery systems.)
These are the very jobs immigrant labor often takes on. And now they’re getting automated.
So what happens when those jobs start to vanish too? They become more “valuable” in the eyes of struggling citizens. Politicians need to show they’re doing something. The easiest move is to claim they’re protecting those roles from “outsiders.”
Even if those roles are being phased out by machines, not people.
So then why immigrants? Because they’re visible and AI isn’t.
The economy is volatile. Living costs keep rising. The middle class is getting squeezed. Politicians know it. Corporations know it. But instead of investing in wide-scale retraining programs or safety nets like universal basic income, they pivot the attention.
They use immigration as a pressure valve.
And it’s not the first time.
In the late 1800s, the Chinese Exclusion Act followed economic downturns.
In the 1950s, Operation Wetback came as labor markets shifted.
Post-2008 recession, we saw a huge spike in anti-immigrant rhetoric.
When fear is high, leaders don’t need solutions. They just need a scapegoat.
So who actually wins in this scenario?
Not workers. That’s for sure.
But politicians? They get populist points by appearing tough on immigration.
Corporations? They dodge the pressure to increase wages or retrain laid-off employees.
Middle-class voters? They’re given the illusion of protection, even if it’s only temporary.
Meanwhile, the real job market is quietly reshaping itself. AI is replacing roles left and right, and no border policy is going to stop that. But it might distract us long enough to forget who actually benefits.
Even companies that love to post about diversity and inclusion are hedging their bets. Tech giants know automation saves money. They just let politics take the fall for the layoffs.
If AI is set to upend entire industries, governments need to keep people calm. They need voters to feel like something is being done. So they tighten immigration policy. They deport the most vulnerable. They sell the story that your job was stolen, not automated.
It’s all theater.
And it is sadly working.
If this theory holds, then here is what I think we will continue to walk into:
More xenophobia
Wider income gaps
A new kind of economic divide where only the tech-literate survive
Immigrants keep getting blamed. Workers keep getting laid off. And the people at the top keep getting richer.
So then, what do we do about it?
Good lord, I have no idea, I am a public speaking coach with a theory! I suppose staying curious is a great place to start.
If you’ve ever thought, “It feels like something bigger is going on here,” you’re not imagining it. And you’re not alone.
This isn’t about being anti-tech or pro-open borders. It’s about noticing who’s being blamed, who’s being protected, and who’s cashing the checks.
We can’t change the system if we’re too busy pointing fingers at the wrong problem.
Let’s ask better questions.