US manufacturing

The the USA is still one of the largest manufacturers in the world. Our manufacturing sector is producing as much today as it ever has:


source: tradingeconomics.com

While it’s true that some (a small fraction) US manufacturing jobs have moved overseas (especially textiles), the vast majority of manufacturing job losses are due to automation. It is machines that have taken those jobs, not foreigners or immigrants.

On balance, NAFTA was a very big win for the USA and our trading partners Canada and Mexico. The primary reason NAFTA hasn’t helped Mexico far more is due to our ill conceived and almost entirely ineffective war on drugs.