The Economist – Footloose and fancy degree: How countries compete for talent
Who said the following? “You graduate from a college, I think you should get, automatically as part of your diploma, a green card [permanent residence in the United States].” The surprising answer is Donald Trump. Whether he meant it or not—and his record in office suggests not—his words suggest that even a nativist politician understands, at some level, that highly skilled foreigners can be useful.
In fact they are extra-useful, since their skills tend to complement those of locals. They bring different experiences, knowledge and contacts, making local co-workers more productive. A Harvard study tried to measure this by looking at what happened to researchers when a colleague died.