Clearly their point was to warn of the economic fallacies Trump is promoting,which is their area of expertise, and to not overtly engage in politics.
Statistics are what they are, and their scientific basis can be examined if desired. It's true politicians can cherry pick what they like, but the figures are still there for all to see in a free society.
Again, they are commenting on their area of expertise, in this case the economic impact of immigration, and not on law enforcement, which is something else again.
The jobs that have left the US have gone because they can be done cheaper in low income countries, or done cheaper by automation. As incomes rise in the third world, some of that industry is returning to whence it came, because it has become more efficient to do it here by automated systems. Short of walling off America from the world, and severing most trade relationships, the type of jobs Trump has promised will never, ever, return to the US, or any other advanced economy. The value of US manufacturing output has actually grown quite a bit, which is a good thing, but the real problem is that all gains have gone to the very top, which has left the former middle class in dire straights. That is the real issue, not returning nonviable and unworkable 1950s style factory jobs.
I can understand the angst of middle aged former auto workers now working at Wal Mart of some such, but the thing is, a vote for Trump is not going to change that situation. Putting a demagogue and ignoramus in the White House will only mean four years of crashing stock markets, capital flight, unemployment, soaring deficits, and various other economic dislocations, and probably conflict with other nations, economic or even military.
