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Alexandria, VA, (1/11/07): Concerned that an immigration reform bill could be deceitfully drafted in Congressional back rooms and sprung on the American people without warning OR alternatively put off until next year for political expediency, Donald Mann, President of Negative Population Growth, today called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to openly and quickly move immigration reform that does not grant amnesty and citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants through the 110th Congress.

Addressing Capitol Hill's top leaders in the first weeks of the new Congress, Mann challenged the new Democrats to "answer to the American people – and not the special interests – in shaping any final immigration reform legislation."

"I realize that there are many factors at work on the immigration issue. But the 110th Congress must recognize that this legislation will have a greater impact on America's future than perhaps any other it considers. We can't go for quick-fix solutions. Rather, as a nation we must approach this issue well-educated on its long term consequences for today's generation – and many generations to come," Mann said in his letter.

In addition, he stressed, "it is also crucial that this legislation not be written in Congress' back rooms. Any immigration reform legislation must undergo full, open and immediate hearings so that all issues can be openly discussed and all key players identified."

In his letter delivered only three months after the nation passed the 300 million population milestone, Mann also noted: "without a strong new immigration law that is effectively enforced, our nation is doomed to a future of record-breaking population growth that will wreak havoc on our economy, our society and our environment."

In direct language that drove home the point that a majority of Americans are not willing to accept any immigration reform that grants amnesty and citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants, Mann cited the fact that "almost all members of Congress – including most of the newly elected Democrats – ran on a platform of strong immigration laws and enforcement – and few promised to embrace amnesty legislation similar to that passed by the Senate last year."

Mann's letter also outlined the measures NPG and other advocates of strong new immigration rules seek in a final bill. In addition to no amnesty and citizenship, they include a call for any guest workers to be exactly that – "guests." Thus, current illegal immigrants in the U.S. should be required to return to their home country and reenter the states only if sponsored by an already identified employer.

Another issue important to NPG is that new legislation cannot create "massive new openings for new 'legal' immigrants and 'guest-workers' to bring in their extended families." Such lax legislation would "greatly accelerate our population growth and add tens of millions of new people in a very short time."

Also, key to strong immigration reform for NPG is the need for Congress to "demand that present immigration laws be enforced – with employers who hire illegals made to pay a severe penalty."

In calling on Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid to act on immigration reform openly and quickly, Mann noted that both leaders "promised an open and transparent Congress that gives opposition voices and alternative proposals the ability to be seen and heard."

NPG's President summed up his request by stating: "The bottom line is that Congress is doing great harm to our nation by letting the immigration crisis continue to grow as it drags out the debate and plays politics with this critical issue. The long-term stakes are too high for our nation to keep putting off responsible, hard-hitting solutions simply to see which political party can pander more to a growing voting bloc."

Mann's letter ended with this plea: "Let's not worry about who gets the credit. For America's sake, let's get the job done now!"

Negative Population Growth is a national nonprofit organization, founded in 1972, that serves as a grassroots network for tens of thousands of citizens to work together to educate the American public and our political leaders about the catastrophic effect of overpopulation on our environment and quality of life. For more information, please visit our website at www.npg.org