John Tanton Network

The John Tanton Network describes the anti-immigrant "empire of organizations" created by, or connected to, population-control advocate and nativist John Tanton.

The Center for New Community (CNC) reports that "what appears to the public as a myriad of voices advocating for severe immigration enforcement is nothing more than a series of front groups, 'coalitions,' and spin-offs seeking to overwhelm reasonable debate on immigration." CNC also created a map of the network.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has compiled a list of organizations within the John Tanton Network, many of which the SPLC classifies as "hate groups."

Lobbying Against the 2013 Immigration Reform Bill
In 2013, the Tanton Network groups voiced their opposition to an immigration reform framework introduced by a bipartisan group of senators in January. Organizations that comprise the Tanton Network are primarily funded by the Colcom Foundation, started by Cordelia Scaife May, a close friend of Tanton and sister of Richard Scaife of the right-wing Scaife Foundations. Colcom has donated over $17 million to NumbersUSA, nearly $15 million to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and more than $6 million to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). The Tanton-founded and -funded organizations have released numerous negative statements about the impacts of the reform bill, including the hyperbolic claim that it "has the potential to change everything that makes America a great place to be."

Organizations within the John Tanton Network
The following groups are part of the John Tanton Network, being founded and/or funded by Tanton (according to the SPLC as of 2002):

American Immigration Control Foundation (AICF) 1983, funded

American Patrol/Voice of Citizens Together 1992, funded

California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR) 1994, funded

Californians for Population Stabilization 1996, funded (founded separately in 1986)

Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) 1985, founded and funded

Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) 1979, founded and funded

NumbersUSA 1996, founded and funded

Population-Environment Balance 1973, joined board in 1980

ProEnglish 1994, founded and funded

ProjectUSA 1999, funded

Progressives For Immigration Reform affiliated; Board of Directors closely connected to Tanton

Social Contract Press 1990, founded and funded

U.S. English 1983, founded and funded

U.S. Inc. 1982, founded and funded

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * John Tanton
 * Federation for American Immigration Reform
 * NumbersUSA
 * Center for Immigration Studies