A moratorium would provide an essential "time-out" from our currently unprecedented levels of immigration in order to allow the United States to address some of our country's severe problems, such as the energy crisis, urban sprawl, traffic congestion, pollution, etc. Immigration is the driving force behind U.S. population growth, presently accounting for over 70% of total net population increase per year. The United States' population growth, which at more than three million per year is the highest in the developed world, is a root cause of many of the United States' problems. In general, population growth threatens the U.S. carrying capacity and in particular, our resources such as topsoil, forests, clean air, and water. It should also be noted that projections by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that our population will skyrocket to half a billion by 2050, or sooner, if current immigration and fertility trends persist.

Achieving environmental protection through population stabilization requires the reduction of immigration into the U.S. from its current (over 1 million legal immigrants and 400,000 to 500,000 illegal immigrants per year) level to a "replacement-level" immigration rate. This concept mirrors replacement-level fertility (which we have maintained since 1972). Total immigration (legal and illegal) of approximately 200,000 per year would roughly balance the number of immigrants with the number of Americans that leave the U.S. voluntarily every year. Given the higher than average fertility rate of foreign-born residents, illegal immigration also needs to be reduced to 50,000 per year through strict enforcement. Thus, a five-year moratorium on legal immigration in excess of 100,000 is a necessary first step toward stabilizing U.S. population.

See also the ASAP! Immigration Moratorium Action Plan and other ASAP! immigration moratorium materials.