Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
Episode: It's a Numbers Game: The Numbers Behind Trump’s Immigration Crackdown with Rep. Brandon Gill
Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Ryan Girdusky (guest-hosting for this special)
Guest: Congressman Brandon Gill (TX-26)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ryan Girdusky dives deep into the current state of immigration policy under President Trump, contrasting political rhetoric with the actual numbers, rules, and legislative changes. He discusses foreign student visas, H1B visas, asylum policies, and mass deportations, then interviews Rep. Brandon Gill about congressional initiatives to make Trump-era and new policies permanent, operational challenges, and the broader debate about the cultural, economic, and political effects of both legal and illegal immigration. Listeners are given both data-driven insights and direct policy analysis from one of the GOP’s most prominent young immigration hawks.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

I. The Numbers Behind Trump’s Immigration Policy

Hosted by Ryan Girdusky
(03:30–15:59)

• Trump's Rhetoric vs. Policy Actions

  • Trump's base is sometimes frustrated by what they perceive as mixed messages—tough talk, but seemingly softer stances in media appearances (03:30).
  • Example: Recent comments on allowing more Chinese students and H1B visa holders contrasted with strict policies.

• Foreign Student Visas

  • In the 2023–2024 school year, about 1.1 million foreign students were in the U.S. (04:09).
  • Visa rules under Trump have tightened: visas are only valid while actively enrolled, and vetting now includes social media checks (04:30).
  • Ongoing policy discussions: ending the OPT (Optional Practical Training) program that lets foreign grads work in the U.S. for 12–36 months (04:53).
  • Result: 17% drop in new foreign student applications this year, the biggest drop in over a decade excluding the COVID pandemic (05:05).

• H1B Visas

  • New Trump rule: the fee for an H1B application set to rise dramatically, to $100,000 (05:39).
  • Push for setting “prevailing wages” for H1Bs to avoid undercutting Americans, applied at a regional level (05:48).
  • Intention: make H1B less attractive to employers, favoring American workers (06:10).
  • Discrepancy persists between rhetoric (sometimes ambiguous) and actual policy shifts, which are more restrictionist.

• Deportations and Enforcement

  • Data: 400,000 illegal aliens deported since September, a rate higher than previous administrations (07:30).
  • Obama-era numbers are inflated by counting those refused at the border as “self-deported,” while Trump’s numbers reflect interior enforcement and mass deportations (07:53).

• Mass Deportation as Deterrent

  • Not only are deportations up, deterrence is working: fewer are attempting the journey (08:16).
    • Stat: Percentage of illegal immigrants who would still choose to come has dropped from 72% (2023) to 56% (2025) (08:29).

• Legal vs. Illegal Immigration

  • Actions to limit asylum seekers and challenge birthright citizenship (anchor babies) (08:54).
  • Still awaiting comprehensive data from the administration for 2025.
  • Polling shows strong appetite, especially among Republicans, for steep reductions in legal immigration (09:29).

• Notable Point:

  • “Remember, during the last year of President Trump’s time in office, 2.8 million people entered the U.S. and 800,000 became citizens—the right to vote just as much as you and I. Roughly the same number of new Americans as the city of San Francisco.”
    — Ryan Girdusky (10:07)

II. National and Legislative Perspectives: Interview with Rep. Brandon Gill

(15:59–32:29)

Rep. Gill on Codifying Trump’s Key Policies

• The House should make permanent (codify) many of Trump’s executive policies (16:28).
• In 2025’s “Big Beautiful Tax Bill,” the House included funds for:
  • Full completion of the border wall and river barriers
  • Billions for logistical infrastructure for mass deportations
  • 10,000 new ICE agents (16:38)
• Current bills aim to make “Remain in Mexico” permanent, requiring asylum seekers to await adjudication in Mexico or another third country, not in the U.S. (17:13).

Notable Quote:

“A wait period of that duration basically legalizes a mass invasion of the country.”
— Rep. Brandon Gill (17:40)

• Progress and Political Process
  • The “Remain in Mexico” codification bill has 109 cosponsors, including a few Democrats (18:03).
  • Some frustration: good bills can linger in committees before reaching a vote, but once a bill has bipartisan appeal, it stands a solid chance on the House floor (18:18).

Expedited Removal of Criminal Alien Offenders

• Gill’s new bill expands administrative/expedited removal for certain criminal aliens (19:36).

  • Includes those convicted of sexual crimes, violent felonies, or crimes against vulnerable categories (children, elderly).
  • Responds to loopholes where even serious offenders might avoid prompt removal.
  • Echoed by Girdusky: “It’s crazy that crimes against minors you would think would automatically be in that category already, and it’s not.” (21:13)

• How Listeners Can Support

  • Gill encourages listeners to contact their representatives, as wide support (including more co-sponsors) can expedite House action (21:44).

Republican Alignment and Evolution

• The Republican Party in Congress has shifted—broad consensus now supports Trump’s agenda, especially after the Biden years and a surge in illegal immigration (22:22).
• Mass deportation is now a mainstreamed, supported policy.
• There’s still more work to be done on reforming legal immigration—next on the conservative policy agenda (23:58).

Holistic Impact of Immigration

• Immigration isn’t just about jobs—impacts are felt in housing markets, hospital wait times, schools, and social services (24:19).
• Estimated cost of illegal immigration: $180 billion annually (25:13).

Notable Quote:

“You go to any public facility and half the people don’t speak English. That is a clear and obvious problem...”
— Rep. Brandon Gill (25:02)

Assimilation and Cultural Effects

• Legal immigration isn’t immune to criticism: U.S. policies have allowed people who do not assimilate or share core American values to enter and even ascend to public office.
• Example cited: Zoran Mamdani’s election as New York City mayor, attributed to failed assimilation policies (26:30).
• Gill calls for a return to pre-1960s standards: newcomers should not be a “public burden” and should be expected to adopt American culture (26:38).

Notable Quote:

“Whenever somebody immigrates into the United States, we expect them to adopt our culture and our customs and the American way of life. And that’s just simply not happening.”
— Rep. Brandon Gill (27:40)

Social Trust and Diversity

• Discussion of research showing that mass immigration reduces social trust—not merely between different groups, but within communities as a whole (28:20).

Democrats’ Strategic Use of Migration

• Gill asserts that Democrats have an electoral incentive to encourage mass migration; more migrants shift congressional apportionment and voting patterns in Democrats’ favor (29:57).
• References to political strategy books (“The Emerging Democratic Majority,” “The Permanent Majority”).
• Critiques the census for apportionment based on total residents, not citizens, boosting representation for blue states (30:26).

Funding for ICE and Border Security

• The “Big Beautiful Bill” allocates about $200 billion for multiple years, but further renewals will be needed (31:53).

Where to Follow Rep. Brandon Gill

• Twitter: @RepBrandonGill
• Instagram and other platforms for committee highlights and policy updates (32:06).

III. Viewer Questions: Voter ID and Election Integrity

Ask Me Anything Segment
(36:27–39:59)

• Call-In Question:

  • Are voter ID laws a threat to voter turnout, and do they suppress certain groups?
  • Girdusky breaks down data showing virtually no negative effect on voter turnout from voter ID laws (39:25), with support for such laws overwhelming across party lines.

  Notable Quote:

  “You need ID to do everything from buy alcohol to buy a lotto ticket to, you know, your everyday life. This is completely a lie [that voter ID suppresses voters]. Everyone knows it.”
  — Ryan Girdusky (39:40)

• Poll Results:

  • 98% of Republicans, 84% of independents, and 67% of Democrats support requiring ID and proof of citizenship to vote (39:50).

Noteworthy Quotes

• On Trump’s Efficacy:

  “There’s no question President Trump is the most successful president in our lifetime [on illegal immigration].”
  — Ryan Girdusky (08:54)

• Assimilation and Cultural Change:

  “You find out really quickly that most of those people [immigrants in New York] are not assimilated. … Most Americans want to be able to communicate with their neighbor ... live in a real community.”
  — Rep. Brandon Gill (27:40)

• On Democratic Strategy:

  “It really is a cynical plan to systematically rig elections for Democrats. … All they have to do is reopen the borders under a new Democrat administration to continue playing that out.”
  — Rep. Brandon Gill (30:26)

• On Social Trust:

  “When immigration increases, social trust is depleted—and social trust is what societies are built on.”
  — Ryan Girdusky (28:20)

• On Voter ID:

  “Voter ID is good. It works. People should support it and the law should be passed to enforce it.”
  — (39:58)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:30 — Introduction: Trump’s rhetoric vs. policy on immigration.
• 04:09 — Data on foreign student visas and policy shifts.
• 05:39 — H1B visa changes and impact on American labor.
• 07:30 — Deportation data and comparison with previous administrations.
• 08:29 — Decline in intent to immigrate illegally.
• 15:59 — Introduction of Rep. Brandon Gill interview.
• 16:28 — Legislative efforts: codifying Trump’s policies, funding for border infrastructure.
• 17:13 — Codifying “Remain in Mexico.”
• 19:36 — Expedited removal bill: fast-tracking deportation of criminal aliens.
• 22:22 — Congressional GOP unity on immigration post-Biden.
• 24:19 — Discussion: immigration’s impact on housing, public services.
• 25:13 — $180 billion annual cost of illegal immigration.
• 26:38 — Assimilation and the purpose of legal immigration.
• 28:20 — Social trust and mass immigration.
• 29:57 — Political implications and apportionment.
• 31:53 — Details on ICE and wall funding.
• 36:27 — Ask Me Anything segment: Voter ID debate.
• 39:58 — Girdusky’s conclusion and call for continued support for voter ID laws.

Overall Tone and Takeaways

• Tone: Assertive, direct, highly critical of current and past “open borders” policies, yet data-driven. The dialogue strikes a balance between analysis and partisan advocacy, layered with urgency about policy permanence and the broader implications of demographic change.
• Key Takeaways:
  • Trump’s actual immigration actions are more restrictionist than some recent rhetoric implies.
  • Policy changes in student and skilled worker visa programs have produced sharp statistical effects.
  • Congressional Republicans, especially freshmen like Gill, are pushing not just to institutionalize Trump’s executive actions but to expand upon them with sharper, legislative teeth—especially on deportation of criminal aliens and curbs on legal immigration tied to assimilation and public benefit criteria.
  • There is broad GOP unity on illegal immigration and significant momentum in Congress for further action.