The New York Times’ Thomas Friedman called for immigration policy to prioritize “high-IQ risk takers” during a Tuesday appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
Friedman was asked by CNBC’s Andrew Sorkin to comment on President Donald Trump’s rescinding of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy of the Obama administration.
Partial transcript below. Freidman stated:
I go back to the original immigration compromise; the Group of Eight. We need a strategic immigration policy. By the way, I’d happily give Trump his wall. My view on immigration; I’m for a very high wall. I believe a country has to control its borders. I’m for a high wall with a big gate.
So assure Americans that you can control the border, and then have a rational immigration policy that can attract the high-IQ risk takers that have made this country — and Silicon Valley, in particular — what it is, and also the high-energy lower-skilled workers, and do it in a rational way.
We need a compromise.
Watch Friedman’s comments below.
Friedman did not comment on cultural or political criteria to be implemented in screening prospective immigrants seeking residency in America.
Neither Friedman nor Sorkin commented on disproportionate outcomes between varying demographic groups that would result from using IQ as a screening criteria within immigration policy.
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