If American politics were a reality TV show—and let’s face it, it basically is—this season’s main event would be the immigration smackdown between MAGA populists and Silicon Valley tech bros. In one corner: flag-waving patriots chanting, “Build the wall!” In the other: hoodie-clad billionaires whispering, “But who will code our apps for half the salary?” And just when we thought this circus was U.S.-only, Canada casually steps in, holding its signature “Nice Guy” reputation while echoing familiar anxieties about immigrants “taking jobs” and “threatening values.”
At the core of these debates lies the same patriarchal power play. MAGA fears brown men taking “manly” jobs in construction and agriculture, while tech bros exploit immigrant labour under programs like H-1B visas in the U.S. and Global Talent Stream in Canada. Both sides claim immigration is about national prosperity, but neither seems particularly invested in the dignity, equity, or humanity of the people at the centre of it.
MAGA, Tech Bros, and the Gendered Labour Market
MAGA’s anxieties aren’t really about immigration; they’re about preserving the fantasy of the rugged, self-reliant American (or Canadian) man. Immigrant men in fields like construction, farming, or manufacturing challenge this illusion. Meanwhile, narratives about “dangerous immigrant men threatening our women” continue to fuel anti-immigrant sentiment on both sides of the border, regardless of evidence.
In tech, the exploitation is less loud but just as exploitative. Immigrant workers in Silicon Valley and Canadian tech hubs like Toronto and Vancouver are trapped in cycles of visa dependency, overwork, and underpayment. Tech CEOs love to parade “diversity” slogans, but the industry remains overwhelmingly white and male.
And here’s where the gendered angle sharpens: Indigenous, Black, and racialized women remain almost entirely locked out of STEM opportunities. Despite high-profile initiatives claiming to advance diversity, women from these communities face systemic exclusion, wage disparities, and barriers to leadership. In Canada, Indigenous women are particularly underrepresented in STEM fields due to colonial systems of exclusion, underfunded education, and systemic racism.
Even when women of colour do enter these industries, they are more likely to be confined to lower-level positions with limited upward mobility. Instead of climbing the ladder, they’re often handed “mentorship opportunities”—a euphemism for being politely kept out of decision-making spaces.
Tariffs, Trump, and the Hidden Costs of Immigration Policy
Immigration policy doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s tangled up with trade deals, tariffs, and economic pressures. Recently, high-ranking Canadian officials met with top aides to Donald Trump to discuss border security and the potential impact of the 25% tariffs that the president-elect has threatened to impose when he takes office next month. Previously, under Donald Trump’s presidency, immigration crackdowns weren’t just about border walls and travel bans; they were paired with tariffs on imports from countries like Mexico and China. These tariffs increased economic instability in the very regions where people were most likely to migrate in search of security and opportunity.
Meanwhile, Canada often frames itself as a more humane alternative to Trump-style immigration policies. But in reality, Canada’s reliance on programs like the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) mirrors the U.S. system’s reliance on precarious immigrant labour. Workers—many of them women—are brought in to fill low-wage jobs, only to face exploitative conditions, wage theft, and limited pathways to citizenship.
Tariffs and immigration restrictions, whether in the U.S. or Canada, don’t reduce migration—they make it riskier, more exploitative, and more profitable for the powerful.
Feminist Analysis and Real Accountability
Both MAGA populists and tech capitalists approach immigration as a power game. MAGA wants immigrants out, while tech wants them in—but only under exploitative conditions. Canada often frames its immigration system as progressive, but systemic inequities in labour rights, wage equity, and representation in high-paying industries paint a more complex picture.
A feminist immigration policy would go beyond border security and visa quotas. It would:
- Prioritize human rights and dignity for all immigrants, regardless of status.
- Address the intersectional barriers faced by Indigenous, Black, and racialized women in accessing economic and educational opportunities.
- Ensure labour rights protections are not tied to visa status.
- Tackle the economic pressures created by tariffs and exploitative trade policies that drive migration under desperate conditions.
- Include immigrant women’s voices in policy-making spaces, ensuring they have a seat at the table—not just token representation.
The Final Word: Immigration Isn’t a Chessboard
Here’s a thought: What if we stopped treating immigration like a chessboard where powerful white men move brown and Black pieces around to serve their own agendas? Immigration policy isn’t about borders, innovation, or economic stability—it’s about power, profit, and control.
While MAGA hats, tech hoodies, and Canadian policy briefs wrapped in polite branding keep dominating the conversation, feminists will be here—with research reports, community coalitions, and unshakable resolve—fighting for an immigration system built on equity, dignity, and humanity.
And if anyone wants to join us, great. But they’ll need to show up ready to listen, commit to meaningful action, and leave performative gestures behind.
by Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director, BWSS Battered Women’s Support Services
