An open letter to the Wall Street Journal

By Jeremy Beck

Immigration Contributes to Increased Housing Demand Illegal immigration is not the only factor in rising housing costs (“The Latest Housing Scapegoats,” July 8, 2026), or even the most significant factor, but the Dallas Fed working paper demonstrates a basic theory of economics: more people demanding homes without a corresponding increase in supply leads to higher … Continued

Water for Growth or Water for Justice?

By Henry Barbaro

More than 10,000 homes on the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe still lack running water despite long-promised Colorado River water rights. As immigration-driven population growth increases demand across the Southwest, keeping those promises becomes more difficult.

Conservation Needs More Than Reservations

By Henry Barbaro

America’s national parks are struggling with increasing congestion and overcrowding. Given that immigration has become the primary driver of U.S. population growth, how much immigration can America sustainably accommodate while preserving the open spaces, recreational opportunities, and quality of life that Americans cherish?

When Housing Mandates Threaten Farmland

By Henry Barbaro

America is investing billions to preserve farmland, yet development pressure continues to grow. Immigration-driven population growth increases demand for housing, making immigration policy an important part of any long-term farmland preservation strategy.

Can Immigration Save Social Security?

By Henry Barbaro

Immigration can strengthen Social Security’s finances in the short term, but relying on continually increasing immigration does not permanently resolve the program’s demographic challenges. This essay explores why sustainable reform should focus on the program itself.

Colorado River Talks Collapse as Demand Outpaces Supply

By Henry Barbaro

The Colorado River basin faces difficult choices as states negotiate how to share shrinking water supplies. While conservation programs have produced savings, growing demand for water, housing, and infrastructure continues to intensify pressure on the river’s dwindling flows.

Swiss Voters Nearly Capped Immigration-Driven Population Growth

By Henry Barbaro

The Swiss referendum demonstrated that population growth itself can be a legitimate public policy issue. Across the developed world, governments face growing pressure to balance immigration levels with housing, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability.

We’re Saving the Salamander—but Not Its Habitat

By Henry Barbaro

The frosted flatwoods salamander is one of America’s most imperiled amphibians. Scientists can breed endangered salamanders in captivity, but long-term recovery depends on preserving habitat. As immigration-driven population growth increases demand for housing and development, protecting that habitat becomes more difficult.

The Housing Fix That Makes Sprawl Worse

By Henry Barbaro

Housing advocates often focus on increasing supply, but demand matters too. With immigration now driving most U.S. population growth, millions of additional homes will be needed in coming decades. Accommodating that growth could require more than a million acres of new development, increasing pressure on farmland, wildlife habitat, and natural resources.