The United States has long been a nation of immigrants, but the latest data from the Census Bureau reveals a striking trend: the foreign-born population has reached an all-time high, with a record number of immigrants arriving in the country in the past year.
According to the Census Bureau’s Annual Social and Economic Supplements, as of March 2024, there are 51.26 million foreign-born people in the country, accounting for 15.5% of the total population. This represents the highest percentage of foreign-born people in the US ever recorded. Furthermore, the year-over-year increase between March 2023 and March 2024 was 2.48 million people, a record high that surpasses the population of 13 states.
The Congressional Budget Office reports that the majority of these new arrivals do not have permanent legal status, do not speak English, and lack a high school education. This influx of new immigrants is putting a strain on communities like Springfield, Ohio, and Aurora, Colorado, where hospitals, schools, and police departments are struggling to cope with the increased demand.
The Biden-Harris administration’s policies have been instrumental in facilitating this surge in immigration. Since taking office, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have rolled back immigration laws and implemented new programs that have allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the country. The administration’s parole program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, for example, has been used to bring in over 500,000 migrants on a supposedly temporary basis, despite concerns about widespread fraud and abuse of the program.
The impact of these policies can be seen in communities like Springfield, where estimates suggest that 12,000 to 20,000 Haitians have recently arrived, straining local resources and infrastructure. The town’s hospitals are overwhelmed with non-English speakers who lack health insurance, while schools are struggling to accommodate non-English speaking students.
The police department is also dealing with an influx of drivers who are not familiar with US traffic laws, and gang activity is on the rise. The people of Springfield did not vote for this level of immigration, and many Americans are now expressing concerns about the impact of the Biden-Harris administration’s policies on their communities.
Vice President Kamala Harris has been criticized for her role in promoting open-border policies, which have contributed to the current immigration crisis. If she is elected to office, it is likely that these policies will continue, leading to further strain on communities like Springfield and Aurora.
The data from the Census Bureau and the Congressional Budget Office paints a clear picture of the impact of the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration policies. The question now is whether Americans will continue to support these policies or demand change.
