Anti-Immigration Rhetoric At Odds With Data
Tuesday March 28, 2006
Much of the anti-immigration rhetoric coming from inside the Beltway and throughout the blogosphere makes it sound like the US is being over-run with immigrants -- both legal and illegal. But that's not what US Census data show. Moreover, how would our economy prosper with zero population growth?
Yes, the 1990s saw the largest number of legal immigrants -- in absolute numbers -- since the 1920s. But as a percentage of the population? It doesn't come close to that of the decade that kicked off the last century: 3.24 percent compared with 9.56 percent.
Even if we were to wave a magic wand -- and grant amnesty to the approximately 11 million illegal aliens currently living in the US -- "recent" immigrant population wouldn't touch that of the 1910 census, as a percentage of total population.
Something else the pundits aren't saying: our population is aging. By 2030, one in five Americans will be over 65. And demographers suggest a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman means zero population growth, which was the US rate in 2001. Non-Hispanic whites have the lowest fertility rate (1.8), well below the replacement rate necessary for zero population growth. How much of the angst is a majority ethnic group realizing it is on its way to minority status?
One more thing: the US economy resides soundly on increased consumption. Without population growth, how will the economy grow? Without population growth, who will care for aging boomers? Who will pay taxes to pay for today's growing national debt?
See also Specter Pledges to Complete Immigration Bill, Immigration in America: Protest & Support for HR 4437, The 2004 Bush Immigration Proposal.
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Comments
An excellent article. I live in Phoenix Arizona and am amazed how much better the “illegals” here seem to understand traditional Americanism when compared with the purported “born Americans.” Look for me at that fence with wirecutters.
Hi, Craig … the data are aggregate for the nation. I don’t mean to minimize the impacts on the 24 border counties, which is real.
Great stories on immigration. It is nice to see someone talk about facts and realities. We face many issues as a nation and the color of who comes here is starting to distort our priorities. We want to fix health care, schools and foreign policy. However, too many dark people coming in incites anger. Even among Progressives.
Hi, javgonz:
Thank you. And thanks for reminding me of this article!
Kathy
What a bunch of unmitigated crap! Do we want 12-20 million people in this country who are not held to any accountability for their actions? They have plundered our resources; overwhelmed our hospitals and schools, and put our culture in the toilet. It is totally dishonest to write a piece such as this without presenting the other side. Shame on you.
Great Article, which shows facts not Hate towards Almighty Gods children.
Any American that is afraid of losing their “JOB” to a poor uneducated migrant, Should go to the Mirror and BLAME THE PERSON in the Mirror.
Stop The foolish wish list, Get educated and then you wont have to worry about losing your dish washing Job.
America has free education, and if one dose not use it to become educated adn aquite todays workplace requirements, they have olny themselves to Blame.
I am not saying don’t close the borders, I am saying Stop the Hate.
Our population is aging? So what? Inviting tens of millions of cheap-labor immigrants in to wipe the rear ends of the old can only create a continuation of the intractable mathematical problem of Social Security. If current benefits require 6 workers for every retiree, who will pay for the benefits of the millions of caretakers-millions of additional third-world immigrants? The process would need to be repeated ad infinitum. In organized crime, this is called a Ponzi scheme. You should have had kids, Kathy, instead of wasting your life at the University of Washington, Marxist Leninist Feminist. They would take care of you. Immigrants take care of their parents. Why not elitist liberals?