New NPG Forum Paper Looks at Current Events that Shape U.S. Refugee Policy

• NPG
• October 26, 2021
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New NPG Forum Paper Looks at Current Events that Shape U.S. Refugee Policy

When Will U.S. Policy Tackle Illegal Immigration’s Toll on Climate and Sustainability?  

Alexandria, VA, (October 26, 2021): Amid Covid-19 variations and west coast fire season, Negative Population Growth, Inc. has published a new Forum paper positing the connection between refugee populations, the pandemic, the abuse of legal loopholes by unscrupulous groups, and U.S. immigration policy. In his work, titled How Covid, Climate, and the Cartels Reshape U.S. Refugee Policy, author Edwin S. Rubenstein discusses several of today’s current trends and how these circumstances intertwine. With his lens above the fray, Rubenstein leads the reader through an overview of Covid-19, cartels (Title 42), and climate while highlighting how they affect refugee policy and population growth.

Beginning with Covid-19 and Title 42, Rubenstein sets the stage at the start of the pandemic (March 2020) when both the U.S. and Mexican governments closed their land borders to non-essential travelers, effectively lowering the number of illegal border crossers by almost half the following month. Also significant in March 2020 was executive order Title 42. Invoked by President Trump, it “allows Border Patrol agents to waive formal apprehension and expulsion procedures.” While illegal border crossing continued, a high percentage of those crossing resulted in expulsion versus apprehension. One example of the consequences of Title 42 is the increased instance of repeat border crossers. Rubenstein then spotlights drug cartels, already educated on policy loopholes, under-the-radar border crossing, and their connection to those hoping to cross the border illegally, noting: “Title 42 created a massive opportunity for drug cartels to diversify into human trafficking. While migrants may not understand the nuances of U.S. border policy, they clearly see the current period as a limited time offer to enter the U.S.”

In the trenches of illegal border crossings another national concern is ballooning out of control, namely: climate. Along the U.S. & Mexican border, temperatures are high, and dry weather patterns are stubbornly persistent. This information is not new. The 2020 Census data affirms that population growth is exacerbating an already tense situation. Lake Mead is lower than ever before, and the Colorado River is dangerously over-extended with the burden of supporting 40 million people (up 15 million from 1992). Yet, despite a wealth of knowledge supporting an unsustainable future, water is still moving through federally subsidized dams and canals, providing a false sense of security to those who would be most affected by a sharp decline in the water supply to the area. Rubenstein deftly stacks his narrative to include a pertinent tie-in between climate and immigration, noting the inarguable presence of ongoing chain migration and its correlation to population growth, stating: “But the impact of refugees on American population growth is far greater than their numbers alone would suggest…The nexus between today’s refugees and tomorrow’s legal immigrants is rarely discussed these days, though it has troubling implications for U.S. population growth.” 

Covid-19, cartels (and Title 42), and climate concerns have created a whirlpool of conflicting agendas and U.S. policy. Rubenstein, steadfast in his resolution to present actionable recourse to circumvent the constant flow of illegal immigrants and dire consequences of cascading chain migration, closes his piece, saying: “We cannot possibly allow every hopeful migrant to enter the U.S. – no country can be expected to do so. It is time our elected officials realize and fully embrace the idea that ‘immigration reform’ must include reductions in overall numbers, not become a blueprint for increasing numbers in new and increasingly creative ways.”

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