This is the latest in a series of fact-based articles on global overpopulation. Immigration, both legal and illegal, and their offspring cause over 80% of population growth in the United States.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform (OFIR), ofir@oregonir.org sent me a message about an article published in the Nov. 28th edition of The Sunday Oregonian. That article was written by long time OFIR member Elizabeth Van Staaveren and is entitled "Opposed to the DREAM Act." Here is that article.

"The lame-duck Congress under leadership of Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid, is immediately aiming to pass a major amnesty for illegal aliens before the end of the present Congress. They know that in the next Congress convening in January 2011, any amnesty legislation will be very difficult to pass, probably impossible.

"The so-called DREAM ACT (H.R. 1751 and S.729) is touted as a limited favor to the foreign-born children of illegal immigrants who want to attend college at lower in-state tuition rates. Facts show how ridiculously false this spin is. H.R. 1751 would allow illegal aliens of any age over 5 to apply for amnesty, while S.729 requires applicants to be under the age of 35 – hardly ‘children.’

"Once an alien files an amnesty application, he/she cannot be removed from the U.S. for any reason until the application is fully processed and a final decision to grant or deny has been made. All amnesty applications go to the front of the line for processing, bypassing those of persons in the normal, legal line. There are no numerical limits to the amnesty and no ending date for applications.

"Worst of all, there is no verification requirement. The government has the burden of proving eligibility or ineligibility, one by one, of the millions of applications that will be made. This is an impossible task, inevitably resulting in massive fraud.

"Even if the DREAM Act was truly limited, why should we disadvantage citizens to accommodate illegal aliens? Spaces in public colleges are often insufficient for qualified citizens.

"The U.S. is over-populated now due to excessive immigration levels of the past 40 years. Legal and illegal immigration account for 60 to 90 percent of population growth since 1970 according to various estimates.

"There have been 7 amnesties already in recent years for illegal aliens, each one only encouraging further illegal immigration. A benefit such as the so-called DREAM Act further legitimizes illegal immigration at a time when we urgently need a moratorium on all immigration."

OFIR suggested that readers "consider calling members of the Oregon Congressional delegation in opposition to this latest attempt to pass amnesty for illegal aliens."

The following represent Coos County:

Sen. Ron Wyden, Washington, DC (202) 224-5244. Eugene, (541) 431-0229.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, Washington, DC (202) 224-3753. Eugene (541) 465-6750.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, Washington, DC (202) 225-6416. Coos Bay (541) 269-2609.