The U.S. adds one international migrant (net) every 36 seconds. Immigrants account for one in 8 U.S. residents, the highest level in more than 80 years. In 1970 it was one in 21; in 1980 it was one in 16; and in 1990 it was one in 13. In a decade, it will be one in 7, the highest it has been in our history. And by 2050, one in 5 residents of the U.S. will be foreign-born.
Currently, 1.6 million legal and illegal immigrants settle in the country each year; 350,000 immigrants leave each year, resulting in a net immigration of 1.25 million. Since 1970, the U.S. population has increased from 203 million to 310 million, i.e., over 100 million. In the next 40 years, the population will increase by 130 million to 440 million. Three-quarters of the increase in our population since 1970 and the projected increase will be the result of immigration. The U.S., the world’s third most populous nation, has the highest annual rate of population growth of any developed country in the world, i.e., 0.977 percent (2010 estimate), principally due to immigration.
The immigration act of 1965 and illegal immigration are two very different issues.
The immigration act of 1965 made it possible for America to absorb the most talented people in the World. For example, Bobby Jindal’s parents and Jerry Yang (co-founder of Yahoo) had their entry to America facilitated by that act. These individuals have impacted many lives positively by participating in politics and building multi-billion dollar businesses.
The illegal immigrant problem is a law and order problem that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats nor their big business sponsors have been willing to address. Nobody really wants to close the Mexico border.