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CAPS' Study: 20-38 Million Illegals Now in U.S.
Population and California's Political Minefields

COMMENTARY: by NPG President Donald Mann

They should have seen it coming years ago when the population of the area started spinning out of control and nobody had the guts to stand up and say - HALT!

I'm talking about the story of the continuing drought in the Southeast U.S. and a giant city such as Atlanta potentially running out of water within a year -- if there is no measurable rain in the coming months. The area has received less rain the past year than at any time since record-keeping began in 1894.

The politicians and the press are a bit reluctant to use the word "crisis" in reporting this story but as Janet Ward of the Atlanta Watershed Management office stated, "The situation is dire, and you are looking at possible water rationing." Kathy Nguyen of the Cobb County Water System added, "People just don't believe we would ever be here... you never think you'll see the day will come that you don't have enough water to drink."

No major U.S. city should face such an imminent disaster - yet we are going to see more and more water crises in the coming years, especially in the far too overpopulated Southwestern U.S. It all comes down to one central idea - population growth, fueled largely by immigration, is putting tremendous pressure on the ability of many areas to sustain vast numbers of people.

NPG wrote more than two years ago how the Atlanta area, which is surrounded by some of the fastest-growing counties in America, was ignoring a potential future water crisis and indeed inviting it by not putting severe limits on population growth. Unlike many major metropolitan areas, the Atlanta region has a very limited water source. The Atlanta Water Authority is limited by an interstate pact with Florida and Alabama from taking more than a certain percent of the water from the Chattahoochee River, the areas most reliable water source, because it is crucial that the river maintain a certain flow level all the way into the ecologically-sensitive Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. It's not only people competing for Atlanta's already limited water supply but more people also means more businesses, schools, etc. And even though the earliest signs of a water shortage started to appear more than a year ago, no one put any water restrictions on keeping Atlanta's lawns - including countless golf courses as green as ever.

In all, the severe drought-impacted area stretches from mid-Alabama across a wide swath of Georgia and South Carolina and into North Carolina. The lack of the hoped-for rain to get the area out of this predicament has set the clock ticking on what could result in a major disaster. While droughts are cyclical, population planning must be long term and permanent. It's never too late.


CAPS' STUDY: 20-38 MILLION ILLEGALS NOW IN U.S.

Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) has released a new study that may well confirm what many of us have believed for a long time - the government figures on illegal immigrants in the U.S. are far too low.

CAPS and The Social Contract, a quarterly publication of public affairs, called a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on October 8th to present their findings in a report titled: The Illegal Population Explosion: A Realistic Appraisal of its Actual Size, Implications for the Future, and Consequences for Public Policy Decisions and Citizen Activism.

The CAPS' report notes that the Department of Homeland Security, along with the Census Bureau, asserts that 11.6 million illegals were in the U.S. as of 2006. However, working with immigration experts from a number of disciplines, CAPS challenged the official data and "concluded that the illegal population may be more than double the official Census Bureau and Department of Homeland Security estimates." CAPS also contends that "the number of illegals entering the U.S. every year is higher than the Border Patrol and DHS figures." An additional finding was that "the costs associated with our illegal alien population, including crime, health care, education, and labor market impact, are far higher than the public has been led to believe."

Joining Diana Hull, Ph.D. the President of Californians for Population Stabilization at the press conference were James H. Walsh, J.D., a former Associate General Counsel of the INS, Philip Romero, PH.D., Miller Professor of Business Administration at the University of Oregon, Fred Elbel, a computer and political consultant, and Wayne Lutton, Ph.D., editor of The Social Contract. Click on the link above for the full story.


POPULATION AND CALIFORNIA'S POLITICAL MINEFIELDS

Few issues drive the nation's political agenda on the federal, state and local levels more than ever-increasing legal and/or illegal immigration. If you don't believe it, simply look at the headlines in your local paper and read the stories about overcrowded roads, immigration, demand for new schools, sewers and other infrastructure, the need for more hospitals and clinics, and increased taxes to pay for all of them.

The booming population is rarely out of mind for most Californians but a recent article from Inside Bay Area noted that two major population-driven issues are proving to be giant tests for Governor Schwarzenegger. The article by Dan Walters noted that the Governor "faces his biggest tests yet" by calling special legislative sessions on two issues that have bedeviled politicians for decades: expanding health care coverage for the working poor and solving California's worsening water dilemma. Both issues "have evolved from population growth and socioeconomic change."

The health care problem, where it is estimated that 6.7 million Californians lack health coverage in a given year, is also taking shape in numerous other states. And though the accompanying article is clear on pointing out the problem, its fails to mention how the large influx of illegal immigrants into the Golden State only compounds the difficulty of finding a solution. The figures related to this issue are quite astounding as the article notes, "Medical care is now the state's largest single economic activity, approaching $200 billion a year and more than 10 percent of the economy."

The recent action by a federal judge to sharply reduce pumping water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from the North to Southern California has created a dilemma that cannot be solved overnight. As Walters writes, "The water squeeze, meanwhile, reflects not only decades of political gridlock - primarily over building new reservoirs and canals - but also an ever-growing population, vast changes in agriculture and the rise of the environment as a factor in allocating supplies,,," Rearranging the water allocations for the state will mean that political leaders will most likely rush a water bond issue through the legislature to get it on the ballot for the February 5th primary. This isn't exactly an issue you can vote against. Indeed, if they want to keep the water running through their taps, California voters are going to have to pony up billions more tax dollars - and get used to doing so more and more often until they finally unite and resoundingly say "NO" to more population growth. Click on the link above for the full story.

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION NEWS NOTES

THE BACK DOOR IS OPEN

U. S. Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX) who represents a good portion of the Gulf Coast traditionally keeps his eyes on the southern border with Mexico and advises his Capitol Hill colleagues on lax immigration policies in that area of the world. However, on October 2nd Mr. Poe took to the floor of the House to state:

" Mr. Speaker, the Government Accountability Office is in the border crossing business. Like the illegals, drug dealers and smugglers that cross our southern and northern borders at will, GAO investigators recently crossed undetected from Canada into the United States in three different areas with, get this, red duffel bags of radioactive material, detonators and narcotics. They crossed with no problem and no border agent was anywhere in sight.

On the 5,000-mile Canadian border, there are no more than 250 border agents on duty at any given time according to a deputy chief of the Border Patrol...

...While America's watching the front door to illegal crossing at the southern border, the back door is wide open to unwanted illegal guests on the northern border.

Homeland Security needs to get serious about homeland security and shut the open doors to our homeland."

NPG agrees with Congressman Poe and shares his dismay that the Department of Homeland Security is not as vigilant about doing its job as it professes to be. It is absolutely vital that concerned citizens continue to work with NPG and other forward looking organizations to keep the pressure on their Senators and Congressman to make sure that our country is not overrun by illegal immigrants and that we are protected from infiltration by terrorists and others who are determined to do us harm.


POLLUTION PROBLEMS FOR BEJING OLYMPIANS

The Chinese government can go all out to freshen up their capital for the 2008 Olympics but the message going out to contenders from all nations - especially those competing in track and field events and other endurance events -- is that you had better prepare to compete in an environment of very polluted air. A short article in The Washington Post noted that air pollution levels in Beijing "are nearly five times higher than the World Health Organization's recommended safety level." There seems to be no quick fix solution to a congested atmosphere and gray haze that permeates the overpopulated city.


NPG NOTES

NPG PETITIONS DELIVERED TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

Just because the U.S. Senate rejected the massive, unworkable Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill in late June, NPG members still strongly believe that Congress must resolve America's immigration crisis as soon as possible and not ignore this crisis until after the 2008 elections. In recent weeks we delivered signed petitions to Capitol Hill from NPG members to Congressional Districts across America. The petition message urged Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to "take the lead in drafting and passing practical and workable immigration reform that honors the rule of law, protects the value of American citizenship and can meet our nation's future labor needs by keeping strict controls on immigration."

REPORT ON ELECTED OFFICIALS SURVEY WELL COVERED IN MEDIA

It's impossible to predict how much exposure a press release will get but we were very pleased with the widespread coverage NPG received when we released information about the final tally of NPG's Elected Leaders Survey that was conducted this summer. The survey was mailed to 12,000 current officeholders on the state, county and city levels. Among its key findings was that "almost 90% of elected officials rated America's current immigration problem as 'Very Serious' or 'Serious' and 50% reported that illegal immigration is 'negatively impacting' the jurisdiction they represent."

The survey was a first for NPG but it was influential in helping us establish a clear base of support and open lines of communication to key officials who have agreed to work with us to advance our mission to halt, and eventually reverse, our population growth.

Key media outlets that have run news stories in the past week related to our Elected Leaders Survey include: MarketWatch, BizJournals.com, Forbes.com, Earth Times, AOL Money News, Houston Chronicle, State House News Service, Quote.com, Los Angeles Times and US Politics Today.

NPG LAUNCHES 35TH ANNIVERSARY POSTER CONTEST

Letters are going out in the next few days to more than 10,000 art teachers nationwide inviting them to participate in our 35th Anniversary Poster Contest - an inaugural effort we hope we will be able to repeat in future years. Using the theme "Too Many People" our goal is to spread our message about the destructive consequences of overpopulation on our nation's environment and get students to understand how vital it is that population growth cannot continue into future decades. Cash prizes in three grade-level categories will be awarded to both schools and students based on originality and presentation of this message. Winners will be announced next Spring.

NPG'S BRAND NEW CHESAPEAKE BAY POPULATION PROJECT

Within the coming weeks NPG will be contacting thousands of our members who live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to enlist their help in getting the Governors of their respective states to create a Commission on Chesapeake Bay Population Growth. The purpose of this effort is to focus attention on the fact that more and more people crowding into this already ecologically-threatened area only help feed the devastating pollution that is already putting great pressure on its delicate environment. Current estimates are that 300 people a day move into the Bay watershed that drains areas of NY, PA, MD, DE, VA, WV and all of DC. The Chesapeake Bay watershed contains some of the nation's fastest growing counties. It had a population of 14.4 million people in 1990 and is expected to have to accommodate more than 18 million people by 2020 if future growth patterns continue.


QUOTABLE

"It became clear that all we were really doing was just ratifying an illegal system, and the American people did not like that. As the debate crystallized, it became clear that this is an unprincipled approach."

U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Commenting on the Senate?s efforts to pass a Comprehensive Immigration Bill

"The rule of law is sacrosanct and must be protected. We can't suspend the rule of law because it creates an inconvenience for an individual or a family or a class of people."

U.S. Congressman Steven King (R-IA)
Speaking on amnesty for illegal immigrants

"The Chesapeake Bay is a place where the threads of water, nature, people and history interweave profoundly."

Wendy M. Clarke, Author
Windows on the Chesapeake


WHY THE NPG JOURNAL

The NPG Journal (offered free to all recipients) exists to give more widespread distribution to timely news stories and articles related to population, immigration, environmental and political issues that currently affect our daily life -- or have the potential to seriously impact our future.

We realize not all news stories covering population issues will reflect NPG policies and goals. One of our main purposes in creating the NPG Journal is to expose these items to a wider audience, and to draw attention to the fact that so many articles speak to immigration and population issues but often fail to address the central cause of many problems - TOO MANY PEOPLE.

Ultimately, NPG would like to see writers at all levels make the obvious (to us, at least) connection between environmental and resource problems and the growing number of people in both the United States and the world. Unfortunately, most do not. To that end, we comment as necessary to help our readers see those links in hopes they will continue to speak out on what we deem to be the most pressing issue of our time - population size and growth.

NPG President Donald Mann offers his personal insight and commentary on individual stories, especially those that challenge, confirm and/or complement our NPG Research and Forum Papers. The goal of the NPG Journal is to greatly expand NPG's educational mission. As NPG celebrates its 35th Anniversary we continue to emphasize the need for Americans to speak up on population issues and keep our nation -- especially our elected leaders on the national, state and local level - focused on taking action to help resolve today's immigration crisis and work to halt, and eventually reverse America's out-of-control population growth.

We welcome your feedback to articles posted on the NPG Journal and urge you to forward us the e-mail address of friends you think would like to receive a complimentary copy of the NPG Journal on a bi-weekly basis. Contact us at www.npg.org.

ABOUT NPG

Negative Population Growth, Inc. (NPG) is a national nonprofit membership organization with over 30,000 members nationwide. It was founded in 1972 to educate the American public and political leaders about the devastating effects of overpopulation on our environment, resources, and standard of living. We believe that our nation is already vastly overpopulated in terms of the long-range carrying capacity of its resources and envi