Population Pulse | Issue 29
- NPG
- September 22, 2026
- Population Pulse Archive
- 0 Comments
Teachers Should Educate, Not Monitor Immigration Status
Teachers across the state of Tennessee are growing increasingly concerned as lawmakers in Nashville consider a bill that would require schools to collect information on students’ immigration status. A recent meeting of the Hamilton County Principals’ Association (Chattanooga metro area) found widespread opposition toward any effort to force educators to become immigration officers.
The proposed change comes at a time when many immigrant families are on edge over continued raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, wreaking havoc in communities across the country. These raids have led to increased “absences, mental health concerns, and drops in enrollment,” according to an article from Education Week, a news and information resource for K-12 educators.
NPG adamantly opposes any effort to use innocent children as political pawns. Attempting to track the legal status of a six-year-old child who is simply trying to get through another day of first grade is morally reprehensible and a disgusting abuse of power. Additionally, using the financial resources of public education to do the job of ICE, particularly at a time when educational funding receives such low priority within the Federal budget, is a huge overstep and a gross misuse of authority.
There are also practical challenges with implementing such a horrific policy. As the article from Education Week states:
Immigration advocates pushing back against Tennessee’s proposed legislation have also cautioned that any school staff in charge of reviewing immigration documents would have to be trained to work as though they were immigration judges to understand the nuances of various visa and refugee programs so they could determine whether students have legal status.
“We are not immigration officers. That’s not our job,” Wilkey said. “We are educators. We are here to teach children academic and social skills.”
NPG will continue to support efforts to stop illegal entry (including tourist, student, and worker visa overstays) and to implement universal E-Verify. Holding adults accountable is fair and just, and it is how a nation enforces laws, establishes peace and order, and protects all Americans. Going after young children is simply wrong and must be stopped.
To read the original article from Education Week, please click here.
To review NPG’s position on illegal immigration, we encourage you to review our Proposed National Population Policy.
Fewer Births, Lower Pressure: What Falling Fertility Means for the Future
The U.S. fertility rate has dropped once again, reaching a record low of 53.1 births per 1,000 women in 2025—continuing a nearly two-decade decline. In the article titled The U.S. fertility rate dropped again. What's the big deal? experts point to a mix of factors behind the trend, including economic pressures, shifting cultural priorities, delayed parenthood, and increased access to contraception. While some policymakers and commentators frame declining fertility as a looming crisis tied to workforce shortages and an aging population, others argue the concern is overstated. The article emphasizes that fewer births today often reflect intentional family planning decisions rather than a collapse in the desire to have children.
Notably, some researchers and environmental thinkers see the trend in a different light—one that aligns with long-standing concerns about sustainability. Oded Galor, a Brown University professor of economics, explains: “For decades now, we have been concerned about environmental degradation and, in fact, in 1960, the main concern of humanity was the inability of planet Earth to sustain us,” he said. “Now suddenly, we’re concerned about extinction? Fertility is declining, and we should cheer, because it’s going to reduce the impact of humanity on the planet.” This perspective highlights a key tension in the broader debate: whether declining fertility should be viewed primarily as a societal risk—or as an opportunity to ease environmental strain.
The continued decline in U.S. fertility rates underscores a central principle: slower population growth can reduce pressure on natural resources, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Rather than treating declining birth rates as a problem to be solved, this trend can be understood as part of a necessary adjustment toward long-term sustainability—one that aligns with NPG’s vision of balancing human activity with the planet’s ecological limits. As population growth has long been a driving force behind environmental degradation, lower fertility may help slow, halt, and eventually reverse that environmental decline, but it will take several generations to see any real impact.
To read the original article, click here.
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Americans Are More Concerned About Climate—and Feeling the Strain
A new Gallup poll, Americans’ Rating of Environment Hits New Low, shows that concern about climate change in the United States remains near historic highs. About 44% of U.S. adults say they worry “a great deal” about global warming—one of the highest levels recorded since polling began in 1989. At the same time, Americans’ perception of environmental quality has declined sharply, with just 35% rating it positively, a record low. The data reflects growing concern about environmental conditions, even as views continue to vary along political lines.
The findings highlight a notable dynamic: while concern about climate change remains elevated, public opinion on environmental issues continues to shift over time and across political groups. Gallup’s long-term tracking shows that climate concern has remained relatively strong in recent years, reinforcing that it is now a sustained and widely recognized issue in public discourse.
These findings underscore a central reality: environmental degradation is not occurring in isolation, but in the context of ongoing population growth and resource demand. Rising concern about climate change reflects increasing awareness of environmental strain—strain that is amplified by growing pressures on land, water, and energy systems. While public awareness is an important step, meaningful progress will require confronting the deeper forces behind environmental degradation, including sustained growth in population and demand for resources.
To read the original article, click here.
