"The nation's ongoing debate over the number of legal and illegal immigrants entering the country each year has raised legitimate questions about the sustainability of current U.S. immigration policies and the size of nation we wish to become," said Durant. "Although political sensitivity has often curtailed the discussion of the impact that immigration has on U.S. population size, the fact is that immigration accounts for 63% of our nation's population growth. For over 30 years, immigration has served as the largest contributor to the increase in U.S. population. As a direct result of its immigration policies, the United States is now the third most populous nation in the entire world and grows at a rate of more than twice that of China. In fact, the United States has the fastest population growth of any industrialized nation, and is surpassed only by India and Nigeria.
"The United States currently adds 1.25 million immigrants (net) to its population every year. Without a return to more traditional levels of immigration, somewhere in the neighborhood of 300,000 per year, U.S. population is slated to increase from 307 million today to 468 million by the year 2060.
"Public opinion polls demonstrate that stabilizing the size of U.S. population is a concept that most Americans are willing to embrace. Whether America achieves a sustainable population will be determined by the responsibility of the actions we take as a nation. In order to attain the goal of population stability, the U.S. must take control of its immigration system by implementing policies having a positive impact on U.S. population growth. This goal can be reached only by curtailing large-scale immigration and ending the policies of chain-migration, which serve as the source of our rampant growth."
How Does Immigration Impact The Environment?
"According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the vast majority of population growth in the United States is the result of legal and illegal immigration, plus the higher than replacement fertility rates of most recent immigrants," said Durant. "Due in large part to our present growth-rate of 1.1% per year, immigration-driven growth has huge implications for the future of environmental conservation. As the United States careens toward a population surpassing 400 million by mid-century, it becomes painfully clear that achieving our environmental objectives will largely hinge upon the immigration policies we chose to enact.
"Because of the need to provide for rampant population growth, the United States has experienced accelerated ground water degradation, pollution, the destruction of forests, national parks and natural habitats, along with the over-consumption of precious natural resources. The good news is that by regaining control of its immigration policy, America has the ability to reverse this threatening trend. By taking steps to reduce immigration, America can reduce our population's devastating impacts on the environment before it is too late."
As I finished my conversation with Leah Durant, I understood a greater urgency for African-Americans across the USA. Yet, the Black Caucus in Congress neglects its constituents at every turn. Even President Barack Obama ignores Black America's calamitous condition caused by the importation of 2.1 million legal and illegal immigrants annually--without end.
Something must give. If we continue on our current path, the choice will be taken from us. Please visit www.progressivesforimmigrationreform.org and take action for all Americans and future generations.
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