Federation of American Immigration Reform: Not Exactly FAIR and Balanced

**this is part IV of my expose of the organizations behind the opposition to the Immigration Reform bill**

note - all campaign contribution information obtained from Open Secrets and Newsmeat

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is one of 13 organizations funded, founded or both by John Tanton. FAIR was concocted in 1979 by Tanton when his focus changed to immigration control as the main solution to population control. (He continues to serve on the Board of Directors for FAIR.) According to insiders, “Their idea was that FAIR would take no stand on abortion and other controversial family planning issues in order to attract a wider constituency which would work for immigration reform not only for environmental reasons, but for economic relief for the working poor and taxpayers, for social cohesion and for national security.”

According to its website, FAIR ...

advocates a temporary moratorium on all immigration except spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens and a limited number of refugees. A moratorium would allow us to hold a national debate and devise a comprehensive immigration reform strategy. A workable immigration policy is one that would allow us time to regain control of our borders and reduce overall levels of immigration to more traditional levels of about 300,000 a year.

Other positions that FAIR advocates include:
-That immigration should not be permitted to undermine opportunities for America's poor and vulnerable citizens to improve their working conditions and wages;
-That the United States should make greater efforts to encourage population stabilization, economic development, and alleviation of poverty worldwide and especially in countries of great migration;
-That the era of mass international migration to the United States as a solution to international problems must come to an end; problems of poverty and overpopulation must be vigorously confronted where people live, rather than postponing their solution by either the export or the importation of masses of people;

You have to dig deep into FAIR’s website to find their position on population growth control…

But if we reduced immigration significantly, that alone would not bring us to a sustainable population, so isn’t that a false solution?
No. It is part of the solution. Other parts involve reduced births and reduced consumption. All people who care about the heritage they will leave to the next generation should be supporting efforts to counsel small family size, avoidance of unwanted pregnancies, resource conservation policies, and immigration reduction to a replacement level (about 200,000 at present).

The reduction of immigrants to the United States will not reduce the world’s population. By restricting our immigrant intake, we will simply be reducing the number of people who are able to share the opportunities of our country for the education and health services that can lead to smaller families, so what would be gained in the global context?

Some of the most successful family planning programs in the world are conducted in countries other than the United States. We should be fully committed to assisting those efforts and their replication in other countries where they are needed. That is what we should be doing, not continuing a large-scale immigration policy that will jeopardize the nation’s future.

Not only does FAIR lobby members of Congress, they write the legislation and have Congressional members introduce it. According to FAIR’s 2005 Annual Report…

Developing a comprehensive border security and immigration enforcement bill. As the public’s impatience over failed border security and immigration enforcement policies grew, it became clear that a comprehensive legislative approach was necessary. In the summer months of 2005, FAIR assembled a comprehensive package of provisions that, if enacted, would end illegal immigration as it exists today. That legislation, HR 4313, the TRUE Enforcement Act was introduced by Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif) and Virgil Goode (R-VA)…

Dan Stein is the executive director/president of FAIR. Stein is also a Board Member of the Coalition for the Future American Worker (another Tanton org). According to Open Secrets, Stein contributed $500 to the DNC in 1992 and 1993. There were no other campaign contributions listed for Stein.

Pat Choate is on the Board of Directors for FAIR. In 1996, Choate was Ross Perot’s Vice Presidential running mate. Over the years Choate has contributed to primarily Democratic candidates including donations in 1987 to the Presidential campaigns of Al Gore, Dick Gephardt and Paul Simon. Choate did make a $1000 contribution to Pete DuPont’s presidential campaign that same year. Choate also made campaign contributions to Pat Buchanan’s presidential campaign in 1992 and 1996.

Sarah G. Epstein is another member of the Board of Directors of FAIR. Epstein is a board member of Planned Parenthood of Metro Washington DC. She is a member of The Population Institute and the Center for Development & Population Activities. Epstein is a consistent contributor to democratic candidates and liberal organizations. Most recently she wrote a check to Hillary Clinton’s exploratory committee. Other donations have gone to Maria Cantwell, Mary Jo Kilroy, Peggy Lamm and Harry Reid. Since 2004, Epstein has contributed over $2500 to EMILY’s List, a favorite of women on the Left. Epstein made contributions to Democracy for America and the Committee to Re-Defeat the President in 2004. The Republicans listed as recipients of Epstein’s generosity, Tom Tancredo, Robert Vasquez, Brian Bilbray and Randy Graf are all well known for their opposition to immigration reform.

Donald Collins is not only a member of FAIR’s Board of Directors but he is also serves of the board of The Population Institute. According to his mini-bio of FAIR’s website, Collins “serves on several non-governmental organization boards whose varied activities are primarily concerned with advocacy of international family planning, women’s rights and reproductive health."

The President of the Weeden Foundation, Alan Weeden, is another Board Member for FAIR. The Weeden Foundation’s primary goal is to save biodiversity on our planet. Weeden was a donor to the Dean for America campaign in 2003 and 2004. He contributes frequently to US Immigration Reform PAC. Weeden is a supporter/donor of Rep Christopher Shays. He also made a one time contribution of $500 to President Bush’s campaign in 1999.

The National Board of Advisors for FAIR includes several people with liberal roots and connections to liberal causes. Former Colorado Governor Richard Lamm is co-chair of the National Board. Lamm is best known for sponsoring the country’s first liberalized abortion bill in state legislature.

FAIR once shared office space with Negative Population Growth in Washington DC. The founder of Negative Population Growth is Donald Mann. Mann is a member of FAIR’s National Board of Advisors. In August 1979 Donald Mann said…

“We should give incentives to low-income people who agree to sterilization. We should make available free abortion to low-income people on demand. And companies should cut back or deny maternity leave to women who have more than two children.”

Scott McConnell serves on FAIR’s National Board and on the Board of Directors for the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) - another Tanton org. McConnell is also co-founder and editor of American Conservative (Pat Buchanan’s magazine). Despite being involved with an organization called “conservative”, McConnell’s campaign contributions go to the left. His contributions went to Jim Webb, Paul Hackett, 21st Century Democrats and Independent Action.

Other members of the National Board of Advisors for FAIR also serve as Board Members for the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). They include Frank Morris, PhD, William W. Chip, Otis W. Graham Jr, PhD and Peter Nunez.

Some may say that it is unfair to judge an organization by the views of some board members, but I say “Bollocks”. When you look at the totality of the information - the campaign contributions, the sister organizations, the members’ other commitments, etc - you get a true picture of an organization. It reveals the REAL organization - much more so than some pretty words written in a mission statement. You are known by the company you keep and FAIR’s company is on the left side of the picture.

I've read so many posts and articles from conservatives who claim they would never vote for Guiliani because of his views on abortion. BUT these same conservatives were quick to jump into the sack with FAIR despite the overwhelming majority of support for abortion by the Board of Directors, the founder and the National Board of Advisors.

NEXT UP: A look at NumbersUSA - the source of all the statistics for the immigration debate.

Previous Posts:
How Does Darwin & Eugenics Fit Into the Immigration Debate?
Immigration Reform or Green Population Control?
Everything You Didn't Want to Know About Those Immigration Bill Foes
I'M BACK.... And Lookie What I Found