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Category: News
April 25, 2025
Economy
News

Trump Touts 200 Upcoming Trade Deals, Says Xi Has Called.

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❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump said in an interview that he is finalizing 200 tariff-related deals, projecting completion of negotiations in three to four weeks, and that Chinese dictator Xi Jinping has called.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, President Xi Jinping, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.

📍 Where & When: The information was shared in a TIME magazine interview on April 24, 2025, during a meeting at the White House.

💬 Key Quote: “Over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished,” Trump said of the expected trade deals. “We’ll be finished.”

⚠️ Impact: The deals could substantially reduce foreign and domestic tariffs on terms more favorable to the U.S.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump has told TIME magazine that he is completing 200 trade deals regarding tariffs, and foresees concluding negotiations within the next three to four weeks. During the interview, he was asked about Peter Navarro’s prediction of 90 tariff agreements in 90 days. Trump indicated that he has surpassed expectations, stating emphatically that 200 deals have been made.

Trump did not provide details regarding the specific countries involved or the terms of these agreements. He explained that he has engaged with various foreign representatives over recent weeks on tariffs and economic issues. “I would say, over the next three to four weeks, and we’re finished,” he said of the deals.

Regarding China, which currently faces the highest tariff rates imposed by the administration, Trump disclosed that President Xi Jinping has contacted him directly. He said he would not reach out to the Chinese dictator first, but said it was not “a sign of weakness” that Xi had called him. Instead, Trump insisted it was a sign of magnanimity.

Nevertheless, these remarks face dissent from Chinese officials. Before the publication of the TIME interview, Guo Jiakun from the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed the U.S. depiction of active talks is “fake news.” On Friday, Jiakun again claimed that no tariff negotiations had occurred between China and the United States.

President Trump believes that the U.S. holds a decisive upper hand over China, a surplus economy, in any trade war, with the American market being much more important to Chinese exporters than the Chinese market is to American exporters.

“I am this giant store. It’s a giant, beautiful store, and everybody wants to go shopping there. And on behalf of the American people, I own the store, and I set prices, and I’ll say, if you want to shop here, this is what you have to pay,” he explained to TIME.

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April 25, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Judge and Wife Arrested for Allegedly Sheltering Violent Illegal Immigrant Gang Members.

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❓What Happened: A former New Mexico magistrate judge and his wife were arrested after allegedly harboring members of Venezuela’s violent Tren de Aragua criminal organization.

👥 Who’s Involved: Former Magistrate Judge Joel Cano, his wife Nancy Cano, and Venezuelan illegal immigrant and Tren de Aragua member Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.

📍 Where & When: Las Cruces, New Mexico; arrests occurred late on Thursday, April 24.

💬 Key Quote: “Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” Secretary of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) following the arrests, adding: “If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That’s a promise.”

⚠️ Impact: Both Canos are held without bond; Joel Cano has been barred from judicial office, and hearings are ongoing for the gang suspect.

IN FULL:

Former Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his spouse, Nancy Cano, were taken into custody late Thursday in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and face charges related to allegations that the couple harbored illegal immigrant members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang. Joel Cano is being charged with evidence tampering, while his wife, Nancy, is being charged with conspiracy to tamper stemming from their relationship with a Venezuelan illegal immigrant and accused member of Tren de Aragua, Cristhian Ortega-Lopez.

Ortega-Lopez, detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week, is accused of possessing firearms illegally and having links to the dangerous Venezuelan criminal gang. Tren de Aragua, designated as a terrorist organization by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, is known for violent activities in Venezuela. He was found living on the Canos’ property, which triggered the law enforcement actions against the couple, including an extensive ICE raid and search on their home on Thursday.

“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” Secretary of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a post late Thursday on X (formerly Twitter) following the arrests, adding: “If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That’s a promise.”

Before his judgeship commenced in 2010, Joel Cano served for over two decades in the police force. However, Cano was forced to resign from the bench following ICE’s arrest of Ortega-Lopez during a search on February 28. Notably, Ortega-Lopez entered the U.S. at the infamous Eagle Pass, Texas border crossing in December of 2023 during the illegal immigration crisis under former President Joe Biden. The Biden government subsequently released the Venezuelan illegal immigrant and alleged Tren de Aragua member due to overcrowding at a detention center.

Ortega-Lopez’s online presence showed him and others with firearms in a shooting range. It is illegal in the United States for illegal immigrants to own or possess a firearm or ammunition unless the weapon is for immediate export. The Venezuelan illegal immigrant is slated for a court appearance on April 30, with federal prosecutors deeming him a flight risk.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has also permanently banned Joel Cano from holding judicial office. It remains uncertain if the Canos will face further charges related to harboring illegal immigrants or supporting a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).

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April 25, 2025
Crime
UK

Knife Crime and Personal Theft Surging.

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❓What Happened: Recorded knife crime offences in England and Wales are now on the rise following a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic.

👥 Who’s Involved: Police forces across England and Wales, with London’s Metropolitan Police recording the highest number of cases.

📍 Where & When: The data pertains to England and Wales in the year 2024, annual figures released by the government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).

💬 Key Quote:  Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson claims the leftist Labour government “will not tolerate the criminality blighting our communities.”

⚠️ Impact: The crime rise may impact the fortunes of Labour and the formerly governing Conservatives in May’s local elections, with Nigel Farage’s Reform Party already outpolling them regularly.

IN FULL:

Knife crime is rising in England and Wales. In 2024, an estimated 54,587 knife crime incidents were reported, an increase of two percent from the previous year’s 53,413 cases. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the new stats this week.

Robberies with knives or sharp objects rose by five percent, reaching 23,305 cases, an increase from 2023’s number of 22,189. Threats to kill using knives saw a modest increase, rising three percent from 5,797 in 2023 to 5,979 in 2024. The offences categorized as “possession of an article with a blade or point” have also shown a rise, with 28,150 reported in 2024 compared to the previous year’s 27,892, significantly higher than the pre-pandemic count of 23,264 in 2019/20.

A regional breakdown of the data shows London‘s Metropolitan Police accounted for 31 percent of the total offenses, with a rate of 188 per 100,000 individuals. West Midlands Police followed with a nine percent share, Greater Manchester Police at six percent, and West Yorkshire Police at four percent.

Personal thefts also substantially increased in England and Wales in 2024, up 22 percent compared to 2023. The survey highlighted a 50 percent rise in theft from the person, including mobile phone thefts, and a 19 percent rise in theft from outside residences.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson has reacted to the increases in crime, claiming the leftist Labour government “will not tolerate the criminality blighting our communities.”

Image by Alison Benbow.

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April 24, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Guatemalans Charged in Murder Case Entered U.S. Illegally, Skipped Immigration Hearing.

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❓What Happened: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that a Guatemalan illegal, immigrant charged with murdering his girlfriend, and his uncle, arrested as an alleged accessory to the crime, entered the U.S. illegally and skipped their immigration court hearings.

👥 Who’s Involved: Keycy Robinson Alexis Barrera-Rosa, 23, is accused of killing his girlfriend, Lesbia Mileth Ramirez Guerra. Rolvin Eduardo Barrera-Barrera, 37, is accused of assisting in concealing her body.

📍 Where & When: Charles County, Maryland, on April 17.

💬 Key Quote: ICE Baltimore acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins stated, “The arrest of these two individuals marks a significant step towards justice.”

⚠️ Impact: This case highlights the ongoing concern regarding public safety and illegal immigration in the community.

IN FULL:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have detained two illegal immigrants who are Guatemalan nationals in a case involving the alleged murder of a Guatemalan woman in Maryland. Keycy Robinson Alexis Barrera-Rosa, 23, is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Lesbia Mileth Ramirez Guerra. Authorities also arrested Barrera-Rosa’s uncle, 37-year-old Rolvin Eduardo Barrera-Barrera, as an accessory to the crime after the fact.

ICE records indicate that both Barrera-Rosa and Barrera-Barrera entered the United States illegally near El Paso, Texas, in April 2019. They were issued Notices to Appear before a Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration judge; however, neither attended the hearing.

According to Charles County, Maryland police, the body of Ramirez Guerra was discovered buried in Cedarville State Forest, following her reported disappearance in March. The arrest was made by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers, and Barrera-Rosa is currently held at the ICE Farmville Detention Center in Farmville, Virginia. Barrera-Barrera is detained without bond at the Charles County Detention Center, pending further legal process.

Vernon Liggins, the acting Field Office Director for ICE Baltimore, described the apprehension of the two suspects as a pivotal development in addressing the crime. “The arrest of these two individuals marks a significant step towards justice,” Liggins said, continuing: “This heinous crime not only devastated a community but also reinforced the urgent need to prioritize public safety by identifying, arresting, and removing egregious illegal aliens who threaten our neighborhoods.”

He added: “ICE will continue to work tirelessly, side by side with our law enforcement partners, to safeguard our communities and uphold the rule of law.”

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April 24, 2025
William Upton
Election Integrity
Lawfare

Clinton Judge Blocks Trump Order Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote.

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❓What Happened: A Bill Clinton-appointed federal judge blocked part of an election integrity Executive Order issued by President Donald J. Trump requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, NAACP, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

📍 Where & When: United States; Executive Order signed last month; ruling handed down in federal court on Thursday, April 24.

💬 Key Quote: “Our Constitution entrusts Congress and the States—not the President—with the authority to regulate federal elections. Consistent with that allocation of power, Congress is currently debating legislation that would effect many of the changes the President purports to order,” Judge Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

⚠️ Impact: While Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling blocks the Trump EO’s proof of citizenship requirement, it leaves its other two provisions to prevent noncitizens from voting and reduce voter fraud intact.

IN FULL:

A federal judge has blocked part of an election integrity Executive Order signed by President Donald J. Trump. According to U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, the order’s provision requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote infringes upon constitutionally reserved powers for the respective State governments and Congress.

“Our Constitution entrusts Congress and the States—not the President—with the authority to regulate federal elections. Consistent with that allocation of power, Congress is currently debating legislation that would effect many of the changes the President purports to order,” Judge Kollar-Kotelly wrote in a 120-page opinion handed down on Thursday. The Bill Clinton appointee added: “No statutory delegation of authority to the Executive Branch permits the President to short-circuit Congress’s deliberative process by executive order.”

The ruling is the result of the consolidation of three cases filed after President Trump issued his election integrity order last month. The Democratic National Committee (DNC), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) initiated one of the lawsuits. Other plaintiffs include the League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

While Judge Kollar-Kotelly blocked the citizenship provision in Trump’s Executive Order, she left the two other components of the presidential directive intact. These include a provision for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State to provide the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with data to aid it in identifying noncitizens currently on voting rolls. The other measure instructs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to initiate legal action against state governments that ignore a Trump administration requirement that mail-in ballots be received before or on election day to be counted.

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April 24, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Election Integrity

Trump Sets Sights on Notorious Democrat Fundraising Machine.

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❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump is looking to crack down on foreign donations to American elections, which could affect a major Democrat fundraising platform.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Donald J. Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Democratic Party, and ActBlue.

📍 Where & When: President Trump is expected to sign a memorandum this week.

💬 Key Quote: “[D]espite repeated instances of fraudulent donations to Democrat campaigns and causes from domestic and foreign sources, ActBlue is not demonstrating a serious effort to deter fraud on its platform.” — House Oversight and Administration Committees staff report.

⚠️ Impact: The crackdown could significantly impede one of the Democrats’ most influential fundraising platforms.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump is set to crack down on the notorious Democrat fundraising platform ActBlue. The America First leader is expected to sign a memorandum on Thursday, April 24, targeting foreign contributions to American elections. Many have claimed that foreigners could exploit ActBlue for such purposes.

A senior White House official disclosed that Attorney General Pam Bondi will be tasked with investigating whether ActBlue facilitated contributions via “dummy” accounts or allowed foreign nationals to donate to Democratic entities.

Until recently, ActBlue did not mandate card verification value (CVV) numbers for financial transactions, and allegations arose about internal directives encouraging ActBlue employees to be “more lenient” in accepting contributions. Between September and October 2024 alone, at least 237 overseas transactions reportedly involving prepaid cards were identified as suspicious by Republicans.

“[D]espite repeated instances of fraudulent donations to Democrat campaigns and causes from domestic and foreign sources, ActBlue is not demonstrating a serious effort to deter fraud on its platform,” contends a House Oversight Committee and Administration Committee staff report on the issue.

U.S. federal law bans any foreign nationals and governments from contributing to federal, state, or local election campaigns. Still, a lack of vetting means foreign donor restrictions can be circumvented.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched his own investigation into ActBlue in December 2023. He alleges that the platform is being exploited to make straw donations using prepaid cards. Paxton has claimed there is evidence that people have used false identities and untraceable payment methods.

In December last year, a Wisconsin court approved a subpoena directed at ActBlue. This came after a GOP consultant claimed someone was using his identity to give money to the platform.

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

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April 24, 2025
News

Trump Plans Massive 100-Foot Flagpoles at White House for American Flags.

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❓What Happened: President Donald J. Trump announced plans to install two new 100-foot-tall flagpoles on the White House grounds.

👥 Who’s Involved: President Trump, National Park Service (NPS).

📍 Where & When: Washington D.C.; Announced on a Wednesday at a White House event.

💬 Key Quote: “They’ve needed flag poles for 200 years,” President Trump stated, adding, “We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side, and another one on the other side—top-of-the-line, paid for by Trump.”

⚠️ Impact: The addition will bring prominent American flags to both the North and South lawns of the White House, supplementing the existing rooftop flagpole.

IN FULL:

President Donald J. Trump is set to enhance the patriotic display on the White House grounds with the introduction of two new flagpoles, each reaching nearly 100 feet in height. Announced during a White House event on Wednesday, President Trump stated that these flagpoles would grace the North and South Lawns.

Later in the day, the President was seen on the North Lawn surveying the site where a flagpole will likely be placed. The initiative emerges from Trump’s push to see more visible symbols of national pride at national parks and other government property, including the White House.

Emphasizing the need for such installations, Trump remarked, “They’ve needed flag poles for 200 years.” He added: “We’re putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side, and another one on the other side—top-of-the-line, paid for by Trump.” A small flagpole is already mounted on the White House roof.

This gesture aims to reflect the administration’s focus on visibly promoting national symbols within high-profile government areas in the lead up to July’s celebrations of America’s 250th birthday. The National Park Service oversees the White House and its grounds, as the property is technically a national park owned by the American people and stewarded by the NPS. While details surrounding the exact timeline for the installations remain under wraps, the announcement suggests that planning and execution are underway.

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April 24, 2025
News
World

Government Outlaws Muslim Brotherhood.

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❓What Happened: The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in Jordan, with officials arresting 16 people linked to security threats involving weapons and explosives.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Jordanian government and security services, the Muslim Brotherhood.

📍 Where & When: Jordan, announcement made on Wednesday.

💬 Key Quote: Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh stated that “elements of the Muslim Brotherhood” had “worked in darkness to carry out activities that undermine stability and tamper with security and national unity.”

⚠️ Impact: The decision highlights Jordan’s measures to counter Islamist national security threats and points to broader concerns over the Muslim Brotherhood’s operations.

IN FULL:

The Kingdom of Jordan has taken action to ban the Muslim Brotherhood as of April 23, citing national security concerns. This move follows the April 15 acknowledgment by Jordanian security services of arrests involving 16 individuals accused of posing national security risks linked to weapons, explosives, and plans involving drones and fighter training.

Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh explained the reasoning behind the ban, highlighting that elements of the Muslim Brotherhood “worked in darkness to carry out activities that undermine stability and tamper with security and national unity.”

The Muslim Brotherhood, established in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna in Egypt, has often been scrutinized. Al-Banna famously wrote that Islam is naturally inclined to assert its influence globally. In recent years, various entities have expressed concern about the group’s activities and influence. These include a 2007 declaration of support for Osama bin Laden.

During President Donald J. Trump’s first administration, there was consideration of potentially labeling the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. European security services have mirrored these concerns, consistently taking a negative view of the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence. Investigations have pointed out elaborate networks linked to the group throughout Europe, operating under various front organizations.

Jordan is just the latest country to ban the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East. The organization is considered a terrorist group in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt.

Image via World Economic Forum.

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April 24, 2025
News

Alex Soros Criticizes Climate Group for Fixation on ‘Palestine.’

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❓What Happened: Alex Soros, heir to billionaire plutocrat George Soros, criticized the Sunrise Movement for diverging from its environmentalist goals to focus on “Palestine.”

👥 Who’s Involved: Alex Soros, Sunrise Movement, George Soros, Democracy PAC, Sixteen-Thirty Fund.

📍 Where & When: United States, during and after the 2020 election season.

💬 Key Quote: “We gave them money, and now all they do is talk about Palestine. It’s ridiculous.” — Alex Soros

⚠️ Impact: The controversy led to accusations of antisemitism against the Sunrise Movement for boycotting events with Zionist Jewish groups and called into question the use of funds by Soros-backed organizations.

IN FULL:

Alex Soros, son of billionaire plutocrat George Soros and current chairman of his Open Society Foundations activism empire, has publicly voiced dissatisfaction with the Sunrise Movement. In an interview, Alex Soros expressed frustration over the environmentalist group’s focus on Israel and the Palestinians rather than climate change.

“What the hell did they do, by the way?” he said of the group, which receives around a third of its funding from Soros-supported entities. “We gave them money, and now all they do is talk about Palestine. It’s ridiculous.”

The Sunrise Movement, which publicly identifies its mission as attacking fossil fuels, received $750,000 during the 2020 election period from sources associated with Soros. However, tensions have since emerged between the group and its billionaire funder due to recent controversies involving its Washington, D.C. chapter.

In October 2021, the D.C. branch of Sunrise Movement declined participation in a rally for D.C. statehood, citing the involvement of certain Jewish organizations known for their support of Israel. This decision was met with significant backlash, including accusations of anti-Semitism, due to the group’s call to exclude what it described as “Zionist” groups.

While George Soros is ethnically Jewish, the liberal atheist has not historically been a supporter of the Jewish State. The Israeli government has even defended his critics, such as Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, against accusations of anti-Semitism, saying such allegations should not be used to “delegitimize criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel’s democratically elected governments by funding organisations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself.”

Image by World Economic Forum/Valeriano Di Domenico.

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April 24, 2025
Culture
News

Trump Admin Exploring $5,000 Baby Bonus Plan to Tackle Demographic Decline.

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❓What Happened: The White House is considering a “baby bonus” of $5,000 for new mothers to encourage higher birth rates in the U.S.

👥 Who’s Involved: White House aides, policy experts, birth rate advocates, and the Trump administration, including Vice President J.D. Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

📍 Where & When: United States, ongoing discussions reported by The New York Times.

💬 Key Quote: “While a $5,000 baby bonus may temporarily increase birth rates…such financial incentives alone have minimal lasting impact on overall birth rates,” stated Theodore D. Cosco, a research fellow at Oxford Institute of Population Ageing.

⚠️ Impact: If implemented, the policy could provide financial assistance to new mothers, but experts caution it may not significantly alter birth rates without broader systemic support.

IN FULL:

The White House is examining a proposal to offer a $5,000 “baby bonus” for women having children to address declining birth rates in the United States. This comes amid discussions with policy experts and advocates seeking solutions to boost the nation’s fertility figures, as an alternative to mass migration.

Encouraging more births could address long-term demographic challenges, with more deaths than births observed in recent years. The Congressional Budget Office projects the U.S. fertility rate to average 1.6 births per woman over the next 30 years, well below the 2.1 necessary for maintaining a stable population without mass migration.

President Donald J. Trump has previously expressed concern over birth rates. Initiatives under this administration have included expanding IVF access and prioritizing federal funding for regions with marriage and birth rates above the national average. Vice President J.D. Vance also wants to see “more babies” born in the U.S.

Comparative policies in other countries show mixed results. Australia’s “baby bonus” and Hungary’s pro-family policies offer insights into various approaches, yet external factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war, and their associated shocks to jobs and prices, have hampered their short-term effectiveness.

Mass migration is unlikely to be a long-term solution to demographic issues, however. United Nations studies dating back to the turn of the century show that, because migrants also age, the annual influx would have to increase to impossibly vast totals to maintain a 4:1 ratio of working-age people to senior citizens.

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