As I write this, I am watching a live video feed of a presidential candidate visiting the southern U.S. border.
The Border Patrol has just intercepted – and brought to the shoreline of a river – a 12 year old girl, and her Dad. They are from Honduras and have left her mother behind to care for her grandmother. They have come to the U.S., in the 12 year old’s own words, seeking a better life.
With a collapse in the U.S. fertility rate (US Census says it is 1.8 while the Fed says it is 1.6), economists think we address this population shortage through more immigration. Dozens of countries are facing the same demographic hurdles and each says they will solve this through immigration – but there will not likely be enough of the skilled workers they each want, willing to relocate to another country and culture.
Immigration reform could be the answer to the falling U.S. birth rate (cnbc.com)
Meanwhile, immigration across the southern border remains a humanitarian crisis and political football punted by both political parties.
