Robert Rector, who authored the Heritage Foundation's study was with Senator Sessions at his press conference. Rector has said 217 million immigrants is unlikely over the next 20 years because he doesn't believe the guest worker caps will be hit every year (thereby triggering the automatic increases). This is an undeniable fact though...the way the Senate bill was set up (since amended), 217 million immigrants could be admitted over the next 20 years...this is not an estimate...it is the maximum number that could have been realized under that bill. Whether or not it was realized is where the estimates come in
Would it be much better if only 1/4 of the potential immigrants come to the US over the next 20 years? Would you be happy to have 50 million more low skilled aliens in this country? Exactly how does that benefit the American people as a whole?
I do get a chuckle out of people that do not learn from history. When the 1965 Immigration Act was passed (radically altering the low immigration policies the US had in place since 1924), Congressmen and Seantors assured the American people that the high estimates of immigrants should not concern them...they would never come to pass.
First our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually. Under the proposed bill, the present level of immigration remains substantially the same…Second, the ethnic mix of the country will not be upset…Contrary to the charges in some quarters, [the bill] will not inundate America with immigrants from any one country or area, or the most populated and deprived nations of Africa and Asia
--Senator Ted Kennedy in advocating passage of the 1965 Immigration Act
Could this prediction have been more wrong on every count...and there are many more such quotes in the Congressional record. Don't be naive and don't get fooled again