| OVERVIEW FROM THE CEO (JAMES MASSA) |
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| welcome to the "Inside Immigration" Newsletter of NumbersUSA |
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Now is the time
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When NumbersUSA's efforts to support the crafting of what turned out to be H.R. 2, the Secure Border Act, resulted in the House of Representatives passing H.R. 2, it's second bill under consideration, in May, the press and political naysayers said "It's only a messaging bill." and "It will never pass the Senate." I said then that the political winds this year may provide an opening for real change.
When Senator Ted Cruz introduced in September the Senate the companion bill to H.R. 2, the Secure Border Act, (see Ted Cruz Press Release with Massa quote of support), even Border mindful Democrats, such as Rep. Henry Cuellar, began to take note that H.R. 2 was gaining traction towards becoming meaningful law. Again, I repeated over the press' disbelief, that H.R. 2 was real policy change and could really become law.
Chaos ensued in the House of Representatives with the change in Speakers and a "laddered" Continuing Resolution that pushed the government spending deadline out to the dates of January 19th for four departments and February 2nd for the remaining eight, including the Department of Homeland Security. During this time, Speaker Mike Johnson has stepped in and doubled down on the need for real immigration policy change and emphasized that H.R. 2 is the solution to the border crisis.
Other world defense related issues, including Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel have taken center stage, particularly in the Senate. Lawmakers there have attempted to pass the White House's supplemental funding request for those countries, which includes border funding without policy changes. Those efforts have failed. (See James Massa Op Ed in Washington Examiner on topic.)
We are now approaching the time when YOUR VOICE will really matter to Congress as they will be faced with the "must pass" legislation of funding the government which NumbersUSA and secure border minded Congressional Members have demanded only occur if H.R. 2, the Secure Border Act, is passed into law.
H.R. 2, the Secure Border Act, is real change. It is a real solution to the border crisis. Enjoy the holidays and come back ready for activism that makes a difference. It is time!
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Border Numbers Continue Record Breaking Level
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It is simply unimaginable that the US Southern Border would have, ON ONE DAY, over 12,600 illegal crossings by people breaking the US Law to enter our nation illegally! (See Yesterday Another Record Breaking Day ) 
Over 4,000 illegal immigrants apprehended in Eagle Pass, December 19, 2023
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What is the monthly number?
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The Biden Administration still has not made known the November numbers for nationwide encounters. However, NumbersUSA anticipates the numbers to be close to or exceed those of October. In October there were over 300,000 encounters of those attempting to enter the United States illegally at both borders and all ports of entry. This is referred to as "nationwide encounters". The vast majority of these are on the Southern Border and the number does not take into consideration "known gotaways", "estimated other gotaways", or visa overstays.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are seen at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 12. | Francis Chung/POLITICO
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Senate and House Leave Town for the Holidays Without a Border DeaL
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The House of Representatives left for three weeks last Monday for its yearly winter recess. Senator Schumer, however, kept the Senate in session, promising to move a package of aid for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel aid, along with a negotiated border deal.
Senators Sinema (I-AZ), Murphy (D-CT.), and Lankford (R-OK) continued to meet behind closed doors all last weekend and into early this week. Remarkably, despite the fact that the current border crisis has been directly caused by the President's willful abdication of his duty to faithfully execute the law, negotiators brought Administration officials, including Alejandro Mayorkas, to the table.
Reports suggest that some of the primary sticking points surround Senator Lankford's insistence on substantive policy changes, like parole reform, which would go a long way to stopping the border crisis.
Yesterday, Senators Schumer and McConnell realized that a deal wasn't going to happen prior to Christmas, and wrote a letter promising that they will continue to negotiate a deal into January.
NumbersUSA continues to demand an end to the border crisis, not merely half-measures. Back in May the House-passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act. It is an actual solution to the border crisis making substantive changes in policies of parole, assylum, detention, and state standing, among many other integrated policies to solve the problem. As we begin the new year, we'll be asking that you urge your Representative and Senators to put an end to this three-year-long border surge.
Read more about the Senate negotiations here:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/19/schumer-mcconnell-ukraine-border-deal-00132608 
NumbersUSA and Allies join a coalition letter to demand H.R. 2 to end the border crisis.
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Coalition Demands that Congress Stand Firm on the Border Crisis
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In case you missed it, in light of reports that the Senate negotiators were pushing for reforms that fell far short of H.R. 2, NumbersUSA and many of its coalition partners wrote a letter to Congressional leaders demanding the full package of reforms to fully end the border crisis.
This same coalition came together in 2022 to lay the groundwork for what would eventually become H.R. 2, the strongest border bill in recent history. Read the letter.
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| Ohio E-Verify Bill |
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In Ohio, one of a handful of states where the legislature is in session year round, a new E-Verify bill has been introduced by Reps. Scott Wiggam (R-Wayne County) and D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron). House Bill 327 would require contractors and subcontractors on public works projects, as well as employers with 75 or more employees, to use E-Verify.
Ohio is one of those states with no E-Verify mandate at all, so it would be a great step forward to harness the new momentum by supporting this effort and even working to improve it.
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Pennsylvania E-Verify Bill
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Pennsylvania is another state that has a year-round legislative session, and Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh) has introduced House Bill 274, legislation that would expand E-Verify in the state to include all public contractors and subcontractors. He has also introduced a number of other bills meant to combat illegal immigration in the state.
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Florida
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A Florida statewide grand jury has delivered a 146-page report calling for further measures to combat illegal immigration in the state, showing a great example of how passing good legislation can create interia for even more action. The grand jury is seeking a 1% tax on foreign remittances, as well as eliminating the E-Verify exemption for employers under 25 employees and closing loopholes for contractors and their chains of subcontractors.
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| SUSTAINABILITY (JEREMY BECK) |
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Californication |
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California's population has stabilized at roughly 40 million people, because despite being the most popular destination for international migration, more people are leaving California than any other state. This downstream effect of immigration policy is hitting states like Idaho that are rapidly undergoing a "Californication" that voters overwhelmingly reject. Some states, like Idaho, can still preserve their land and way of life, but only if real, substantive actions are taken. See our Executive Summary.
Custom Idaho license plate, 'WERFULL'
Photo credit: Rob Harding |
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Farms in the crosshairs |
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Watch NumbersUSA's Scientific Director Leon Kolankiewicz speak to Idaho's Local News 8, ABC, about immigration-driven population growth's role in diminishing agricultural land. Read Leon's op-ed in The Idaho State Journal. |
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States action is possible
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NumbersUSA's Sustainability Outreach Liaison Rob Harding has been organizing meetings with local farm bureaus to discuss NumbersUSA's findings. Idaho State Representative Jordan Redman attended one of those meetings and has engaged Rob and NumbersUSA about actions he can take to put Idaho on a more sustainable course. Learn more about our studies and outreach. |
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| HIRING LINE (JEREMY BECK) |
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 Andre Barnes (right), with Roy Beck and Newsweek contributor Pamela Denise Long, at "Stop the Buses" Chicago Town Hall |
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Let Americans Do The Work
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Roofing companies are exploiting the border crisis by illegally hiring underage migrants instead of recruiting a domestic workforce. A surplus of labor is the only necessary condition for exploitation and many of these young workers have been killed or disabled on the jobsite. These are skilled jobs that should be going to American workers at good wages. The roofing scandal is the latest example of how mass immigration enables exploitation and exacerbates longstanding gaps in employment and wealth. See our factsheet on job displacement. |
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Empowering Black Voters
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Our "Stop the Buses" Town Hall, co-sponsored with the Black American Voters Project, has been streamed over 10,000 times on multiple platforms. The burden of the border crisis contributes to the 21st-century disenfranchisement of the descendants of American slaves. The Hiring Line Initiative is prepared to assist local groups like those protesting Chicago's sanctuary policies to give them a stronger voice in Washington D.C. Video of the Chicago event here. |
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Engaging Historically Black Colleges and Universities
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NumbersUSA's Director Andre Barnes launched our HBCU Engagement this Fall with trips to Dillard University and Kentucky State University, to speak with students and connect the current turmoil in New York, Chicago, and Texas to the historical immigration activism of great Black leaders like Barbara Jordan, Booker T. Washington, and Frederick Douglas. Andre is ready to be an agent of change in 2024, as he meets with the future leaders of Americans and their educational institutions. Learn more about Andre's role here. |
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NumbersUSA representatives are frequently featured in the media – on radio, TV, podcasts, and in print – providing commentary in support of sensible immigration policies. Check out a few recent highlights.
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Immigration Court Backlog at All-Time High.
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As the Senate continues to debate border security measures as part of a Ukraine/Israel funding package, it is important to recognize that, while many asylum cases will be denied when they are ultimately heard, the backlog is at an all-time high and growing daily with 3 million cases currently awaiting review.
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Immigration drives U.S. population growth, according to newly released Census Bureau projections.
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Our friend Dr. Steve Camarota at the Center for Immigration Studies has studied the recently released Census Bureau report and distilled it down to the key points. You can read Steve's analysis. A few of the key points from his analysis are:
The Bureau's "main" or middle immigration scenario assumes migration is roughly half the high level. The main projection, which they emphasize, does not reflect the ongoing border crisis.3
Even as immigration grows the population, however, it increases the working-age (18 to 64) share of the population by only a small amount. In the low immigration scenario, 57.6 percent of the population will be working-age in 2060, compared to 58.5 percent in the high immigration scenario.5
The Bureau's new projections extend all the way to 2100. This super-long-term forecast generates the somewhat alarmist headline in the press release, "population projected to decline". This decline is not supposed to happen until 2081. Even then, the decline is just 1 percent by 2100.6 
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Phone Number and Email :
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