Trump's migration policy: What benefits do Uzbeks get from the closure of logistics centers abroad?

U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office on January 20, 2025, signed more than 80 executive orders during his first 100 days in office. These orders mainly included reducing the federal workforce, canceling a number of state-funded programs, deporting illegal immigrants, and raising tariffs on imported goods. However, many of Trump’s executive orders have sparked controversy not only in the United States but also around the world. Several of these controversial decisions have been reviewed in court, amended, or overturned.

The most significant and contentious decision of the Trump administration has been its tightened migration policy. Through systematic measures designed to make the “American Dream” more distant for outsiders, Trump seeks to keep all wealth within the country. As part of this approach, many foreign dispatch centers providing logistics services are being shut down. Interestingly, this may benefit Uzbeks more than others. How? This article explores that question.

Migration – the changing policy of the United States

U.S. migration policy is often volatile, and its direction is largely determined by which political party holds power. For instance, when Democrats are in control, policies typically shift toward openness. When Republicans are in office, the approach often leans toward restriction. Democrats usually highlight climate change, corruption, and authoritarianism as root causes of illegal immigration and asylum-seeking, arguing that migration cannot be stopped without addressing these issues. In contrast, some Republican figures portray illegal immigrants and asylum seekers as potential criminals or terrorists, claiming they increase crime rates in the country.

Migration policy is often symbolic—presidents tend to make announcements that send political messages, rather than reflect the actual state of affairs. Trump’s immigration policies send a clear signal that the United States is "closed" to illegal immigrants and asylum seekers.

Each year, the United States admits more than 1.1 million immigrants, most of whom obtain immigrant visas while already in the country. The U.S. also issues over 500,000 temporary work visas annually, including more than 300,000 H-2A visas for seasonal agricultural workers, 100,000 H-2B visas for low-skilled non-agricultural jobs, and another 100,000 H-1B visas for highly skilled professionals.

Trump's immigration executive orders

Trump's first executive order on immigration, titled “Protecting the American People from Immigration,” was issued on January 29, 2025. It instructed the executive branch to "take all necessary steps to reverse the actions of the previous administration that have led to an increase or continuation of the number of illegal aliens in the United States.”

“Over the past four years, the previous administration has encouraged unprecedented levels of illegal immigration into the United States. Millions of illegal aliens have crossed the border or flown directly on commercial flights and have been allowed to reside in American communities in violation of federal law,” the order stated.

Another executive order issued on January 30 claimed that the U.S. had faced an immigration crisis under the Joe Biden administration. In this order, Trump pledged to halt the flow of illegal immigrants, build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and detain all individuals who enter the country illegally.

It’s worth noting that Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump after his first term, reversed several of these executive orders.

“The key to this problem is not at the U.S. border. We must address the root causes of migration through political reform and by targeting the criminal groups responsible for human and drug trafficking,” Biden said in June 2018.

He also emphasized that the United States remains open to asylum seekers, refugees, and those seeking a safer life. During Biden’s presidency, the number of foreign-born U.S. citizens increased by 8.3 million, reaching 53 million—or 16 percent of the country’s population.

As Trump intensifies his crackdown on illegal immigration, it has sparked widespread protests. Demonstrations against the administration’s immigration stance, which began in Los Angeles, have spread nationwide, including to New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Omaha, and Seattle.

U.S. companies are closing overseas control centers: Will Uzbekistan benefit?

Amid tightening immigration policies in the United States, several major U.S. logistics companies are restructuring operations to cut costs and optimize efficiency. As part of this effort, some foreign dispatch centers are being closed. In particular, major logistics firms like FedEx and UPS have begun scaling back or shutting down overseas logistics and dispatch centers. These changes mark a significant shift in global logistics trends. Notably, UPS has shut down its regional office in Dubai, which employed over a hundred staff members. Most were laid off, while some were offered transfers to the Czech Republic, with salaries reduced by nearly 60 percent.

Key reasons for these changes include:

•  Efforts by companies to drastically reduce operational costs;
•  Increased investments in automation and advanced technology;
•  Concerns by the U.S. government about data security involving overseas centers;
•  Cases in which data handled by foreign staff has been deemed insecure.

So far, Uzbekistan has not been affected by this wave of closures. On the contrary, the rising demand for affordable dispatch services may present new opportunities for the country. In recent years, many small and medium-sized U.S. logistics companies have relocated their dispatch operations to Uzbekistan. This is largely due to the availability of relatively cheap labor, a workforce proficient in English, and the willingness of employees to work U.S. hours.

However, this opportunity may not last forever. Strategic decisions by companies like FedEx and UPS, the growing role of automation, and rising data protection standards could eventually impact dispatch operations in Uzbekistan as well.