WASHINGTON: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has claimed that his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton wants to let 650 million immigrants pour into the US in a week, a rate at which America’s population would become greater than that of the Earth in 12 weeks.
While speaking at a rally in New Mexico, Trump said, “You could have 650 million people pour in and we do nothing about it”.
“Think of it, that’s what could happen. You triple the size of our country in one week. Once you lose control of your borders you have no country,” the New York Post quoted Trump as saying.
If this claim on Clinton’s immigration policy were correct and continued at that rate for 12 weeks, America’s population would overshoot the Earth’s.
According to the World Bank, America’s population stood at 324 million in 2016 – so an increase of 650 million in one week would triple the country’s population.
Even though Trump doesn’t say 650 million would enter the US every week, such an increase in population would be unprecedented globally.
The number of people he said would enter the US is nine per cent of the total population of the planet, estimated at 7.4 billion in 2016.
America’s population is estimated to hit 386 million by 2050 – a whole 265 million less than the number Trump says Clinton would let in in a single week.
In his speech, the real estate tycoon said his rival “wants to let people just pour in”.
The number of illegal immigrants in America is currently estimated to be under 11 million, according to a 2016 study.
Trump says Clinton would let nine per cent of the planet’s population into America in a week.
It contrasts with Trump’s claims on immigration, with the Republican nominee saying he favours a merit-based system and building a wall.
Trump has earlier provoked outrage by making claims about immigration on the campaign trail branding Mexicans as “rapists”, with “lots of problems” who are “bringing drugs”.
He has also called for a ban on Muslims entering the US.
PTI