Nalin Haley, the 24-year-old son of former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, has sparked a major debate with his comments on immigration and jobs in America. In an interview with UnHerd, he said the US should not only stop illegal immigration, but legal immigration too. His reason was the same as many Americans right now — young people, including his own friends, are struggling to find work.
Nikki Haley’s son calls for total immigration freeze
Despite being from one of the most prominent Indian-origin families in US politics, Nalin took a hard line on immigration, including immigration from India. Nalin said the US should pause all kinds of immigration, even the legal kind. When the Indian-origin politician and GOP member, Vivek Ramaswamy, mentioned ending identity politics, Nalin replied online: “End H-1B visas.” These visas mostly go to highly skilled workers, especially from India.
“We don’t just stop illegal immigration,” Nalin Haley said during the interview. “I think we need to stop legal immigration.” He also said America should end all foreign aid until every American has access to jobs, healthcare, and stable living conditions.
The conversation comes at a time when Indian Americans are more visible in US politics than ever. But this rise has also attracted racist comments. Some far-right influencers have been making openly racist remarks about Indian Americans, including high-profile figures like Usha Vance.
Nikki Haley’s son says, ‘If you don’t like America, get out’
Nalin, who has become a pro-MAGA voice, said people who “hate America” should leave the country. He dragged journalist Mehdi Hasan as an example and added that he meant it literally, not sarcastically. The two had a social media spat a few days ago. Nalin said he believes naturalised citizens who openly insult America should be removed from the country. He argued that older generations make things too complicated with talk of rules and processes.
“No, I quite literally mean that. I’m often sarcastic, but not in this case. I mean, he hates America. If you hate America, you shouldn’t be in America. … Everyone wants to make it so complicated. That’s the thing with the past generation. They always talk about the rules, regulations, process. No, it’s simple. If you don’t like America, get out,” Indian -origin Nalin Haley said.
Nalin said he is angry because he watched his classmates struggle. According to him, every friend from his high school group has a college degree, but none of them have jobs even after searching for more than a year. He said he feels frustrated watching them compete with foreign workers for the same opportunities.
Who is Nalin Haley?
Nalin’s mother, Nikki Haley, started as a lawmaker in South Carolina, went on to become the state’s governor, and later served as the US ambassador to the UN under Donald Trump. She even took him on in the 2024 Republican primary, though her bid didn’t go through.
Nalin grew up watching his mother hold high positions in government. His grandparents, who were Sikh immigrants from India, lived with the family for years. He says he always respected the different beliefs around him, but later made his own choice to convert to Catholicism. He went to Villanova University and says his faith guides him, but he doesn’t follow any political view just because of his family.
Nalin believes his generation is frustrated, lonely, struggling with jobs, and unable to afford homes. He worries that the division in America will not be about race in the future, but about gender, because young men and women now live in very different online worlds.
