The internet is full of memes like: “Fruit pickers wanted, $11/hour,” with captions like, “Happy now, MAGA?” And my response is: Yes. Very happy. That $11/hour wage is a direct result of reducing illegal immigration and rebalancing the U.S. labor market in favor of legal workers.
By cutting off the illegal labor pipeline, we’ve created upward pressure on wages at the lower end of the income scale—without needing to legislate a minimum wage hike. Legal employment also increases tax revenue without raising taxes. Workers on the books pay income tax, and both employers and employees contribute to Social Security and Medicare. This strengthens the system for everyone, especially retirees, without new burdens on current taxpayers.
Then there are the memes mocking tariff-driven price increases: “Toaster now $55. Happy, MAGA?” Yes. We are. We voted for tariffs to push China out of U.S. supply chains, and that’s exactly what’s happening. These tariffs also target countries like Mexico and Canada, which China exploits, as backdoors for tariff-free Chinese goods. Yes, Chinese products are more expensive now, but that’s the point: it incentivizes Americans to buy American and pressures foreign and U.S. companies to relocate production to the U.S. to avoid tariffs.
Since President Trump began his second term, several major companies have announced significant investments in the United States, in order to avoid paying tariffs:
- Roche: The Swiss pharmaceutical company announced a $50 billion investment over the next five years to expand its U.S. operations, including manufacturing and research facilities across several states, aiming to create over 12,000 jobs
- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC): TSMC unveiled plans to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. chip production, expanding its existing projects in Arizona with new fabrication plants and packaging facilities.
- SoftBank and OpenAI: In collaboration with other partners, they launched the “Stargate” project, a cooperative venture aimed at building AI infrastructure in the U.S., with an estimated investment of $500 billion and the creation of 100,000 new jobs by 2029.
- Hyundai: The South Korean automotive company pledged a $21 billion investment in the U.S., focusing on expanding its manufacturing capabilities and creating new jobs.
- United Arab Emirates (UAE): Following meetings with President Trump, the UAE committed to a 10-year, $1.4 trillion investment framework in the U.S., targeting sectors such as AI infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, and manufacturing.
These projects bring jobs, tax revenue, and technological and industrial sovereignty.
Another meme says, “Europe is negotiating free trade with China. Happy now, MAGA?” And again: Yes. We’ve never supported unrestricted free trade, especially not with China. If Europe opens its markets wider to Beijing, China’s trade surplus will soar while Europe sinks further into industrial decline. Green energy mandates and union-driven wage hikes have already made it too expensive for Europe to manufacture key components like solar panels or EV batteries domestically. That’s why they import them from China.
As Europe phases out fossil fuels, it becomes more dependent on Chinese green tech, increasing Beijing’s leverage. And worse, by trading with China, Europe is indirectly funding Russia. China is Moscow’s largest economic lifeline, helping it withstand sanctions and continue its war in Ukraine. Every dollar Europe sends to China helps keep Russia’s economy, and its weapons factories, afloat.
This is economic Darwinism, and MAGA is glad the U.S. is not participating in it. Trump’s policies are finally reversing a dangerous trend that has gone unchecked for 40 years.
Another meme shows European leaders meeting to discuss defense without U.S. involvement: “Happy now, MAGA?” Yes. This is what we’ve asked for all along. Since his first term, Trump has demanded that NATO allies step up and pay their fair share for defense. Now they’re finally doing it. Many Americans on the right no longer support continued funding for Ukraine’s defense. If Europe wants to continue that effort, they should do so with their own money. That’s not isolationism—it’s sovereignty, and it’s long overdue.
Beyond these specific examples, many of President Trump’s policies are unfolding exactly as intended. One clear success: illegal border crossings have dropped dramatically. In March 2025, attempted crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border fell by approximately 94.8% compared to March 2024.
Another often-overlooked consequence of illegal immigration is the burden it places on law-abiding motorists. Illegal immigrants are far less likely to carry auto insurance, and accidents involving them frequently leave victims dealing with uninsured drivers. According to the Insurance Research Council, about 14% of all U.S. drivers are uninsured, costing insured motorists more than $13 billion each year in higher premiums and uncovered damages. Every time a legally insured driver is hit by someone without coverage, it drives up costs for everyone else.
Another major concern is crime. The often-cited claim that “undocumented immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens” is highly misleading. In many jurisdictions, law enforcement agencies either do not record immigration status or are barred from doing so due to sanctuary policies. As a result, there is no consistent national system for tracking crimes committed by illegal immigrants.
Some municipalities intentionally refuse to cooperate with ICE or won’t disclose the immigration status of those arrested, even in violent crimes. Moreover, crime reporting in general has declined in some areas, not because crime has fallen, but because victims, particularly in immigrant communities, are afraid or discouraged from reporting. This creates an artificially low appearance of crime rates among undocumented populations.
And even if it were true that illegal immigrants commit crimes at a lower rate, they still contribute to the total number of crimes in the U.S., crimes that would not have occurred if immigration laws had been enforced.
By securing the border and upholding the rule of law, President Trump is preventing gang members and cartel operatives from entering the country. This helps reduce the flow of drugs, which we hope will translate into a meaningful decline in drug overdoses. At the same time, these policies are driving up wages for American workers—especially those without college degrees, by cutting off the supply of illegal, low-wage labor.
They are also lowering costs for law enforcement and reducing the financial burden of crimes committed by those who shouldn’t be here in the first place. Fewer uninsured illegal drivers means fewer unpaid damages and smaller hikes in insurance premiums for law-abiding citizens. Welfare costs tied to illegal immigration are falling as well.
On the economic front, by raising tariffs and demanding better trade terms, Trump is encouraging companies to invest in U.S. manufacturing, creating jobs and restoring industrial capacity. And by pulling back from Europe’s defense responsibilities, he is finally forcing NATO countries to carry their share of the burden—something he’s demanded from day one.
So yes—this is exactly what we voted for.
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