Here’s a conundrum—for us, at least.
Why do so many of our staunch “environmentalist” friends seem to support decidedly liberal immigration policies? These same people are quick to say that they’re concerned with the pressures that too many human beings put on our natural resources. In fact, they often want to block the use of these resources when such population pressures demand more of the earth’s bounty.
Yet they seem curiously unconcerned about porous borders and political maneuverings aimed at loosening immigration restrictions. Why is that?
Now, this is not an anti-immigration rant. Indeed, hard-working immigrants have long been a major strength of our nation. But don’t we need sensible policies that welcome those who believe in our founding principles, and want to support the laws and institutions that have made the nation what it is? And shouldn’t we factor in the impact on natural resources when considering how many people to let into our country each year?
Anything less than that seems foolhardy.
Those of us who have been around a while have seen the dramatic changes brought to our communities and the natural world by increasing numbers of people—heavy traffic, urban sprawl and pressure on natural areas among them.
Some of these changes are inevitable, of course, given the exponentially increasing population all over the world. But does that mean we shouldn’t better manage these impacts?
It’s getting harder to find places we can go to shut out the din of modern civilization. Many of the places we remember from childhood have long since been swallowed by the ever-advancing tide of development. We grieve the loss of these places, yet mostly seem powerless to prevent it—despite the good work being done by land conservancies, environmental groups and assorted conservation-minded citizens.
Almost everywhere we look, the battle is being lost. Yet the nation is poised to extend the welcome mat to millions more individuals who didn’t see fit—for whatever reason—to abide by existing immigration laws and help us better manage our nation’s resources.
One can’t necessarily blame this problem on those who are seeking better opportunities for themselves and their families. We would probably do the same. But we still need to protect this nation’s resources through thoughtful policies and enforcement.
Maybe if their own governments weren’t so corrupt, this flood of immigrants—both legal and illegal—could find greater opportunity at home and not feel the need to search for it here.
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