Young men helped carry Donald Trump and Republican senators to victory in 2024, but in recent off-year races, many of these voters have drifted back to the Democratic Party or simply stayed home. A big reason is the growing perception that good jobs in America are going to foreign workers instead of American graduates. Last fall, Democrats flipped a Republican state house seat in Georgia — a district they barely contested in 2024 — gaining 12 points! That’s a telling sign of voter discontent heading into the midterms this year.
Job opportunities for recent graduates and students are shrinking. On one major job website, postings for new graduates have dropped over 16% this year. Unemployment among recent college graduates is now higher than the national average — a historic and troubling shift, especially for young men. A New York Times report recently highlighted the frustration of young Trump supporters — colloquially called “zoomercons” — over the continued use of the H-1B visa program. This system allows foreign workers to fill roles in fast-growing fields like robotics and artificial intelligence, often at entry-level salaries that American engineering graduates are fully qualified to earn. Imagine spending four or five years earning a degree and shouldering debt, only to find that as soon as you graduate, the government is recruiting foreigners to take the very jobs you were trained for.
Big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, IBM, and Adobe are now led by foreigners, and they tend to hire workers from their home countries. In the most recent fiscal year, 71% of H-1B visa holders came from India and 12% from mainland China — populations with little cultural or religious assimilation into traditional American society.
It’s not just tech. Professional sports bring in an excess of foreign players on visas, pushing American talent aside. While rebuilding American manufacturing is commendable, manufacturing still accounts for just 9% of the workforce. That means millions of jobs in other high-growth sectors are still being surrendered to foreign workers through visa programs.
All visa categories that prioritize foreign workers over American citizens should be ended. If the GOP wants to win elections and deliver for young Americans, protecting and creating good jobs at home must be a front and center in the agenda.
Track what the Trump Administration and Congress are doing about this issue at PhyllisSchlafly.com! Sign up for our timely alerts and emails, again that’s PhyllisSchlafly.com. Thanks for listening and join us next time for the Phyllis Schlafly Report.
