NumbersUSA
Encyclopedia
NumbersUSA is an immigration reduction
organization that seeks to reduce US immigration
levels to pre-1965 levels without country of origin quotas as established in the Immigration Act of 1924
. It advocates for immigration reduction
through user-generated fax, email, and direct mail campaigns. NumbersUSA also seeks to educate the public about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of immigration policy.
while he worked for anti-illegal immigration environmental activist John Tanton
. Beck says that he started NumbersUSA after he wrote The Case Against Immigration (ISBN 0393039153). In the course of researching the book he tracked many of the problems in the US to immigration. However, Beck says that NumbersUSA has been independent of Tanton since 2002.
NumbersUSA has grown aggressively since its inception. In 2004, it reported 50,000 members. In 2007, it claimed 1.5 million members.
On June 28, 2007, NumbersUSA claimed a victory after a sweeping immigration bill collapsed in the U.S. Senate
. The organization's members used information and tools from NumbersUSA to contact legislators and voice opposition.
NumbersUSA is a member of the Coalition for the Future American Worker
. It shares Arlington, VA office space with ProEnglish
, an organization advocating English as the official language of government in the U.S.
NumbersUSA also disseminates resources to educate the public about the effects of current immigration levels.
NumbersUSA ran an ad during the Fox News Republican presidential candidates debate in 2011 which included some of their minority activists and the statement. "The immigration debate should not be about the color of people's skin, or their country of origin, or their religion, or where their grandparents were born, The debate should be about the numbers."
According to Fox News, NumbersUSA is "an organization that presses for lower immigration levels along with humanitarian treatment of illegal immigrants"
(SPLC) describes NumbersUSA as part of a network of "anti-immigration" organizations created by Tanton. The Wall Street Journal also identifies NumbersUSA as one of a half dozen groups founded or funded by Tanton in order to stop immigration and promote population control
. In February of 2009, NumbersUSA was called a nativist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center
's report "The Nativist Lobby" - though the SPLC also conceded that there is no evidence of racism on behalf of Roy Beck or his organization. NumbersUSA firmly denies having any racist or extremist views.
The position of NumbersUSA is that SPLC has their own agenda and is not an impartial or disinterested organization.
Immigration reduction
Immigration reduction refers to a movement in the United States that advocates a reduction in the amount of immigration allowed into the country. Steps advocated for reducing the numbers of immigrants include advocating stronger action to prevent illegal entry and illegal immigration, and...
organization that seeks to reduce US immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
levels to pre-1965 levels without country of origin quotas as established in the Immigration Act of 1924
Immigration Act of 1924
The Immigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Reed Act, including the National Origins Act, and Asian Exclusion Act , was a United States federal law that limited the annual number of immigrants who could be admitted from any country to 2% of the number of people from that country who were already...
. It advocates for immigration reduction
Immigration reduction
Immigration reduction refers to a movement in the United States that advocates a reduction in the amount of immigration allowed into the country. Steps advocated for reducing the numbers of immigrants include advocating stronger action to prevent illegal entry and illegal immigration, and...
through user-generated fax, email, and direct mail campaigns. NumbersUSA also seeks to educate the public about the environmental, social, and economic impacts of immigration policy.
History
NumbersUSA was founded in 1997 by Roy BeckRoy Beck
Roy Beck is a former journalist and public policy analyst who has served as the Executive Director of NumbersUSA since 1997. Beck was a journalist for three decades before founding NumbersUSA. He is former Washington D. C. bureau chief of Booth Newspapers and one of the nation's first...
while he worked for anti-illegal immigration environmental activist John Tanton
John Tanton
John H. Tanton, M.D., is a retired ophthalmologist from Petoskey, Michigan, and an influential activist in efforts aimed at reducing immigration levels in the United States. He was organizer and first chairman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform , a non-profit educational group that...
. Beck says that he started NumbersUSA after he wrote The Case Against Immigration (ISBN 0393039153). In the course of researching the book he tracked many of the problems in the US to immigration. However, Beck says that NumbersUSA has been independent of Tanton since 2002.
NumbersUSA has grown aggressively since its inception. In 2004, it reported 50,000 members. In 2007, it claimed 1.5 million members.
On June 28, 2007, NumbersUSA claimed a victory after a sweeping immigration bill collapsed in the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. The organization's members used information and tools from NumbersUSA to contact legislators and voice opposition.
Activities
NumbersUSA lobbies the executive and legislative branches of the US government for immigration reduction. It takes a multifaceted approach to immigration reform. First, executive staff at NumbersUSA work directly with congress to inform them about the impacts of immigration. Second, NumbersUSA encourages direct civic outreach from its members who can send customizable faxes with pre-written headers to government officials. Members are also encouraged to call their representatives to voice concerns about the adverse consequences of immigration in response to email alerts. Also, it operates Americans for Better Immigration, which scores U.S. representatives and senators on their immigration-related votes.NumbersUSA is a member of the Coalition for the Future American Worker
Coalition for the Future American Worker
The Coalition for the Future American Worker is an umbrella coalition of organizations in America that claim that current immigration policies are harming American workers. It includes professional trade groups and grassroots citizens organizations and has run advertisements in several states,...
. It shares Arlington, VA office space with ProEnglish
ProEnglish
ProEnglish is an American non-profit lobbying organization that supports making English the official language of the United States.-Background:...
, an organization advocating English as the official language of government in the U.S.
NumbersUSA also disseminates resources to educate the public about the effects of current immigration levels.
NumbersUSA ran an ad during the Fox News Republican presidential candidates debate in 2011 which included some of their minority activists and the statement. "The immigration debate should not be about the color of people's skin, or their country of origin, or their religion, or where their grandparents were born, The debate should be about the numbers."
Policies
NumbersUSA's says it is "pro-immigrant" and favors annual immigration of 200,000. On the group's website, Beck cautions against "immigrant bashing" and says, "Even illegal aliens deserve humane treatment as they are detected, detained and deported".According to Fox News, NumbersUSA is "an organization that presses for lower immigration levels along with humanitarian treatment of illegal immigrants"
Controversy
The Southern Poverty Law CenterSouthern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
(SPLC) describes NumbersUSA as part of a network of "anti-immigration" organizations created by Tanton. The Wall Street Journal also identifies NumbersUSA as one of a half dozen groups founded or funded by Tanton in order to stop immigration and promote population control
Population control
Human population control is the practice of artificially altering the rate of growth of a human population.Historically, human population control has been implemented by limiting the population's birth rate, usually by government mandate, and has been undertaken as a response to factors including...
. In February of 2009, NumbersUSA was called a nativist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
's report "The Nativist Lobby" - though the SPLC also conceded that there is no evidence of racism on behalf of Roy Beck or his organization. NumbersUSA firmly denies having any racist or extremist views.
The position of NumbersUSA is that SPLC has their own agenda and is not an impartial or disinterested organization.