Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Federation for American Immigration Reform
| Federation for American Immigration Reform | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Washington, D.C. |
| Type: | 501(c)(3) |
| Top official: | Dale Wilcox, Executive Director |
| Founder(s): | John Tanton |
| Year founded: | 1979 |
| Website: | Official website |
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to reduce overall immigration levels to the United States and eliminate illegal immigration. As of August 2025, FAIR's website said: "Immigration policies can determine what kind of America future generations will inherit – livable or overcrowded, successful or overburdened. While we see our obligations to help the less fortunate around the world, we also know that irresponsible border policies can undermine our own nation’s ability to be a successful change agent for the human race."[1]
Background
FAIR was founded in 1979 by John Tanton, a physician and beekeeper from Michigan who believed that the levels of immigration—both legal and illegal—should be reduced because of the United States' population growth. Tanton started FAIR along with NumbersUSA and the Center for Immigration Studies—which are also organizations operating in the immigration policy area.[2]
Leadership
As of August 2025, the following individuals served on the board of directors at FAIR:[3]
- Donald Collins Jr., Chairman
- Duane Austin
- Kevin Donaleski
- Dale Herder
- Cynthia Matthews
- S. Blake Swensrud II
Work and activities
Legislative and policy work
As of August 2025, the FAIR website outlined the following objectives:[1]
| “ | FAIR seeks to reduce overall immigration to a more normal level. Reducing legal immigration levels from well over one million at present to a very generous 300,000 a year over a sustained period will allow America to manage growth, address environmental concerns, and maintain a high quality of life.
FAIR puts the interests of American citizens and future generations ahead of big business and partisan demands.[4] |
” |
Arizona Senate Bill 1070 (2010)
In 2010, FAIR lobbied in support of Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which required all aliens over the age of fourteen to have documentation of their legal status in their possession at all times.[5]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.
Finances
Finances
The following is a breakdown of FAIR's revenues and expenses from 2011 to 2023. The information comes from ProPublica
| Year | Revenue | Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $6.2 million | $6.1 million |
| 2012 | $8.1 million | $5.9 million |
| 2013 | $7.1 million | $8.5 million |
| 2014 | $7.8 million | $6.3 million |
| 2015 | $8.6 million | $6.4 million |
| 2016 | $11.2 million | $11.2 million |
| 2017 | $27.4 million | $8.6 million |
| 2018 | $12.1 million | $10.9 million |
| 2019 | $6.1 million | $10.6 million |
| 2020 | $7.3 million | $11.4 million |
| 2021 | $7.2 million | $9.3 million |
| 2022 | $8.3 million | $8.1 million |
| 2023 | $5.2 million | $7.5 million |
See also
External links
- FAIR official website
- FAIR on Facebook
- FAIR on X
- FAIR on LinkedIn
- FAIR on Youtube
- FAIR on Instagram
- FAIR on Pinterest
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Federation for American Immigration Reform," About," accessed August 5, 2025
- ↑ The New York Times, "Dr. John Tanton, Quiet Catalyst in Anti-Immigration Drive, Dies at 85," July 18, 2019
- ↑ Federation for American Immigration Reform," Board of Directors," accessed August 5, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Arizona Central, "Anti-immigration group is behind what could be Arizona's next SB 1070," accessed August 28, 2019
| |||||||
