On paper, the United States (U.S.) is seen as a country where people can find freedom, work, and a community. When eyes are taken out of tourist brochures and placed in the polluted, capitalist landscape, filled with overworked citizens, the true reality starts to reveal itself. From 1871 to 1901, nearly 12 million new faces arrived in the U.S., motivated to experience the American Dream. This very mindset is fueled by the belief that “if you work hard, you will be fine.” According to Forbes, the U.S. reigns supreme in the number of billionaires it produces, sitting at a whopping 989, with China next at 610, creating a 379-person difference. Medical bankruptcy, student loans, and more quickly drain every drop of society’s money, and in the background, the list of billionaires gets longer.
In recent years, the doors to the American Dream have been bolted shut, with a passcode on it that only the wealthy can possess. During Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. saw a drastic shift in immigration policies, moving the country away from its historical identity, which was built by the headstrong immigrants who paved the way. With the implementation of the REMAIN in Mexico Act, when focusing just on the number of refugees, they were seen dropping to a historic low of 7,500. The narrative began to shift from inclusion to isolation. Despite rhetoric suggesting that these policies protected American jobs, officials argue that stifling immigration actually threatens the very foundation of the economy.n
In line with Trump’s actions, Iowa has followed in his footsteps by implementing a more rigorous approach to immigration. State officials have reached the goal of increasing deportations, securing borders, and restricting legal immigration resources. In the state, immigrants make up 5.8% of the population. Based on the Common Sense Institute, international immigration to Iowa has dropped by 53% since the policy rendition. With native Iowans rapidly leaving the state, immigration declining, and low birth rates, Iowa’s future is facing threats that will leave a deep cut.
The “dream” is further eroded by the crushing weight of systemic debt. While the billionaire class expands, other citizens are one doctor visit away from working immense overtime to make ends meet. Based on the American Public Health Association, the U.S. is the only wealthy country where medical bankruptcy is a common phenomenon. According to their research, medical expenses are a leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., affecting over 500,000 families per year. In 2025, 2,239 Iowa families experienced bankruptcy, which is a 20% increase from the year prior. When the cost of staying healthy requires a lifetime of debt, the concept of “if you work hard, you will be fine” becomes laughable. The country is a nation that prides itself on innovation, yet allows its citizens to be hollowed out by the cost of basic human safety.
Parallel to the healthcare crisis is the student loan trap. Education was once seen as the great equalizer, the ladder to the middle class. Today, it is in pieces. With total student debt surpassing $1.7 trillion and $13.2 billion just in the state of Iowa, young Americans enter the work force already in the red. The average graduate in the U.S. carries nearly $30,000 in debt, a figure that delays life goals such as homeownership, marriage, retirement savings, etc. How can a nation claim to offer upward mobility when the price of entry is a financial death sentence for the working class?
Yet, in the face of these staggering obstacles, it is the immigrant population that continues to provide the essential labor that keeps the country afloat. From agriculture to healthcare, they make up a disproportionate share of what is considered the “essential” workforce. They are not the ones draining the system; they are the ones filling it up. According to the American Immigration Council, legal immigrants contribute $5.7 billion in taxes nationwide, and in Iowa, they contribute $390 million. In a study done by the Alabama Reflector, it was revealed that Undocumented immigrants pay almost $100 billion in taxes, and would contribute $40.2 billion more per year in federal, state, and local taxes if all of the undocumented population had access to work authorization. They put billions towards Social Security and Medicare systems that they may never be allowed to access, effectively propping up the retirement of the native-born population.
Without the spirit of immigration that is formed under the willingness to risk everything for a better life and the tireless efforts of the working class, the American Dream would be nothing more than a ghost. The 989 billionaires at the top do not build roads, care for the elderly, or feed America. Those tasks fall to the people who are currently being squeezed by the rising cost of living and restrictive policies. The country needs to stop viewing immigration as a threat and start viewing it as the successful machine it has always been.
