A study done by the Center for Immigration Studies has determined that there are 61 million immigrants in the U.S., with 15.7 million of them here illegally.

In 1970, there were 13.5 million immigrants in the country – 6.6% of the U.S. population.  The 61 million immigrants in the U.S. today constitute an astonishing 18.9% of the population.

Washington Examiner:

"These numbers raise profound questions that are seldom even asked: What number of immigrants can be assimilated? What is the absorption capacity of our schools, health care system, infrastructure, and labor market? What is the effect on the environment and quality of life from significantly increasing the nation's population density?" wrote Steven Camarota, the Center's director of Research.

"With 45 million legal immigrants and their young children already here, does it make sense to continue admitting more than one million new legal permanent immigrants every year?" he added.

His report found that the normal pattern of immigration to the United States changed after 1970. At that time, there were 13.5 million immigrants, or about one in 15 U.S. residents.

But since 2000, the number of immigrants has increased 18.4 million, and now nearly one of every five U.S. residents are immigrants.

"The number of immigrants and their young children grew six times faster than the nation's total population from 1970 to 2015 — 353 percent vs. 59 percent," he added.

Camarota dug deep into Census Current Population Survey and other data to determine his estimate of 15.7 million illegals in the United States.

"Our best estimate is that in 2015 there were 5.1 million children with at least one illegal immigrant parent. Taken together, the best available evidence indicates that there were a total of 15.7 million illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children in the adjusted December 2015 CPS, accounting for 25.7 percent of the 61 million immigrants and their children in the country," he said.

I don't see how any rational person can look at these numbers today and say we're not allowing enough immigrants to enter the U.S.  Those who make that point clearly have an ulterior agenda not related to compassion for poor people or the well-being of the United States. 

And from now on, I will have to use the 15 million figure rather than the previously accepted number of 11 million for illegal aliens.  That 15 million number actually falls right in the middle of previously estimated numbers of illegals – 10-20 million. 

Camarota is correct in pointing out the growing strain on our education and health care systems, as well as employment.  But it's more than that.  The people behind this push for open borders don't care about the U.S. as a sovereign entity with citizens who share a common language and who respect our history and culture.  We are being balkanized, and the process is only getting farther along.