MIT economist warns H-1B visas let elites ignore U.S. K-12 education crisis

During a conversation with Tyler Cowen, MIT economist Daron Acemoglu warned that the H-1B visa scheme allows complacent officials to sideline reforms of America’s K-12 system, arguing that reliance on imported nurses, doctors and programmers masks a crisis where a large share of middle-school students lag behind standards. He called for a renewed social compact obligating politicians, media figures and tech leaders to prioritize domestic schooling while still supporting skilled immigration.

Pro-immigration economists Adam Ozimek and others rebuffed his critique, suggesting larger visa programs as a solution and citing examples of foreign workers freeing U.S. graduates for teaching roles. The discussion echoed earlier remarks by Nobel laureate Angus Deaton on the domestic costs of globalization and by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen on missed talent due to immigration and DEI policies. The exchange highlights ongoing partisan disputes over balancing foreign talent attraction with investment in American schools.