Washington, D.C., Aug. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A presentation from former CIA advisor Jim Rickards unveils an unexpected trend emerging across the U.S.—a coming wave of domestic migration not driven by housing markets or politics, but by resources, geography, and history.
“We’ve seen this before. Entire cities formed overnight when people went looking for opportunity beneath their feet.”
The American Migration Story Is About to Repeat Itself
From the California Gold Rush to the Texas oil boom, America has a long history of internal migration driven by the discovery of valuable resources. According to Rickards, the next wave is already forming—and this time, the migration may not be physical, but financial and digital.
“You don’t have to uproot your family or endure months of labor. The modern rush is quieter—but just as real.”
Why Forgotten Regions Are Becoming the New Frontier
Rickards outlines how regions once dismissed as “flyover country” are now being reexamined for their rich, untouched mineral reserves. He points to vast public lands in the Mountain West, the Southwest, and Alaska as potential epicenters for new development, infrastructure, and technological growth.
“About 90% of this land is concentrated out west… many of the deposits have never been touched.”
Cities Don’t Just Appear—They’re Built on What’s Below
Throughout the briefing, Rickards draws a straight line between natural resources and the birth of America’s most iconic cities. Denver, Birmingham, Houston, and San Francisco didn’t just happen—they rose because of the minerals that lay beneath them.
“Houston was known as ‘Mexican Texas’ until the discovery of Spindletop. Then everything changed.”
Could the Same Thing Happen Again?
While the circumstances are different, Rickards says the pattern is clear: when the country needs to rebuild, it turns inward—and downward. And this time, instead of pickaxes and railroads, the boom could be powered by AI infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and energy-hungry tech.
“These minerals are fueling everything—from chips to satellites to next-gen cities.”
About Jim Rickards
Jim Rickards is a former advisor to the CIA, the Pentagon, and the White House, with over five decades of experience in intelligence and economic strategy. He currently leads Strategic Intelligence, a monthly briefing series that helps Americans anticipate and prepare for major economic and societal shifts—before they hit the headlines.
