Invasive species like kudzu, Asian carp, and zebra mussels wreak havoc on ecosystems by outcompeting native species, depleting resources, and altering habitats. Kevin Finn's July 2025 American Thinker article draws a provocative analogy between these ecological disruptors and uncontrolled mass migration, arguing that large-scale, unassimilated migration strains social and economic systems, erodes cultural cohesion, and incurs massive costs. While Finn acknowledges the human capacity for integration, the parallels are striking: unchecked migration, like invasive species, spreads rapidly, overwhelms infrastructure, and disrupts the delicate balance of host societies. This posting expands on Finn's argument, asserting that uncontrolled mass migration, particularly when integration is neglected, mirrors an invasive species takeover, threatening the stability of nations like Australia, the UK and US. Drawing on evidence from migration patterns, crime statistics, and economic impacts, it warns that without robust policies to control and assimilate, societies risk irreversible damage.
Invasive species thrive in new environments due to rapid proliferation, lack of natural checks, and competition for limited resources. Kudzu smothers native plants, costing the US $100–$500 million annually in damages and control efforts. Asian carp dominate rivers, threatening the $7 billion Great Lakes fisheries. Zebra mussels clog waterways, costing billions. These species share common traits: they were introduced with good intentions or negligence, spread faster than control measures, and disrupt ecosystems by outcompeting natives. Similarly, uncontrolled mass migration, particularly illegal or poorly managed inflows, exhibits these characteristics, overwhelming host nations' resources and social structures.
In the UK, the Mail on Sunday reported that 312 asylum seekers in just 70 of 220 taxpayer-funded hotels were charged with 708 crimes, including rape, assault, and arson, between 2022 and 2024. These incidents, while not representative of all migrants, highlight the strain on public safety when integration fails. In the US, a 2018 report noted that 20% of federal prison inmates were illegal aliens,costing taxpayers billions. Like invasive species, unchecked migration can spread faster than societies can manage, with social and economic consequences that echo ecological disruption.
Invasive species deplete finite resources, food, water, space, leaving native species struggling. Uncontrolled migration similarly strains public resources. In the UK, housing 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels costs £3 billion annually, diverting funds from schools, healthcare, and infrastructure. In the US, the American Immigration Council estimates that mass deportations could shrink GDP by $1.1–$1.7 trillion due to labour shortages, yet unchecked migration inflates housing costs and overwhelms healthcare and education systems. A 2022 study found that illegal immigrants paid $96.7 billion in taxes but consumed significant resources in social services, creating a net fiscal burden in some contexts.
Social cohesion suffers as well. In European cities like Malmö, Sweden, and Molenbeek, Belgium, high migrant populations have formed insular communities, leading to segregation and, in some cases, violence. Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson admitted in 2022 that integration failures fuelled parallel societies and gang violence, with integration costs estimated at €1–2 billion annually. In the UK, informal Sharia councils in some communities raise concerns about legal uniformity, mirroring how invasive species alter habitats to favour their own survival over native ecosystems. These "parallel societies" disrupt the shared values that bind nations, much like kudzu chokes out native flora.
Invasive species spread unchecked due to absent predators or diseases. Similarly, lax border policies and exploited asylum systems enable rapid demographic shifts. In the US, the immigration court backlog reached 3.73 million cases by January 2025, delaying deportations and allowing illegal entrants to remain. The American Thinker notes that Biden's relaxed border policies led to a sevenfold increase in criminal apprehensions from 2020 to 2024. In the UK, net migration of 315,000 in 2024 is projected to drive 62% of population growth by 2036, outpacing integration efforts. Like zebra mussels clogging waterways, these rapid changes overwhelm systems designed for slower, controlled adaptation.
The absence of "natural checks" in migration, strict border enforcement, assimilation policies, or vetting, exacerbates the issue. Finn cites Canada's multiculturalism model as a success, but even there, integration requires robust language and job training programs. In contrast, the UK and US often fail to enforce linguistic or cultural assimilation, leading to enclaves where migrants maintain separate identities. This lack of integration, like the absence of predators for Asian carp, allows social tensions to grow unchecked.
Controlling invasive species is costly and ongoing. Kudzu removal, electric barriers for carp, and zebra mussel mitigation cost billions annually. Similarly, managing uncontrolled migration demands vast investments. The UK spends billions on migrant housing and integration, yet crime and social friction persist. In the US, ICE's target of 1,200 daily arrests requires significant funding, with deportations costing up to $315,000 per case. These efforts, like invasive species control, are reactive, addressing symptoms rather than preventing the influx.
The damage is not just economic. Cultural identity erodes as native norms are challenged. In the UK, the rise of anti-immigrant sentiment, reflected in parties like Reform UK, stems from fears of cultural dilution. In the US, the "Latino Threat Narrative" described in a 2021 PMC study, frames migrants as invaders, fuelling political division. While Finn notes that second-generation migrants often integrate, the immediate strain of large-scale, unassimilated inflows can spark resentment, as seen in UK protests over migrant crime or Spanish locals' anger after assaults.
Finn cautions that the invasive species analogy breaks down when considering human agency. Unlike kudzu, migrants have intentions, choices, and rights. Indian immigrants in the US, for example, often integrate successfully, with higher education levels and incomes than the national average. Italian and Irish immigrants historically assimilated over generations. However, these successes relied on controlled migration and strong assimilation policies, not the unchecked inflows seen today. Without such measures, the analogy holds: large-scale migration can overwhelm societies before integration can occur, much like invasive species outpace ecological controls.
The dehumanising risk of the analogy is real, but the comparison is not about denying migrants' humanity. It's about recognising the systemic impact of uncontrolled inflows. Just as good intentions introduced kudzu, lax policies driven by compassion have fuelled migration crises. The American Thinker cites Biden's policies as accelerating illegal immigration, with 40 million illegal aliens in the US by 2024. This scale, without assimilation, mirrors the unchecked spread of invasive species, straining societies to breaking points.
If uncontrolled migration continues, the consequences could be catastrophic. In the UK, the Mail on Sunday investigation suggests that crime linked to unintegrated migrants is just the "tip of the iceberg," with court records incomplete. Social cohesion frays as parallel communities grow, and public trust in institutions erodes. In the US, economic burdens and cultural tensions fuel polarisation, with 60% of Americans supporting stricter border policies in a 2025 New York Times poll. Like ecosystems overrun by invasive species, societies risk losing their defining characteristics, shared values, legal uniformity, and economic stability.
The solution is not to demonise migrants but to impose order. Enforce borders, as Trump's administration aims to do with 1,200 daily ICE arrests. Adopt assimilation through mandatory language training and cultural education, as Canada's model suggests. Reform asylum systems to close loopholes, as proposed in the American Thinker, barring claims from illegal entrants. Without these measures, nations risk becoming like the Great Lakes under zebra mussel invasion: functional but fundamentally altered, with native systems struggling to survive.
Uncontrolled mass migration, like an invasive species takeover, overwhelms resources, disrupts cohesion, and incurs massive costs. While human societies can adapt through integration, the scale and speed of current inflows, coupled with lax policies, mirror the unchecked spread of kudzu or carp. The UK's crime wave, the US's court backlog, and Europe's parallel societies are warning signs. Nations must act decisively, securing borders, enforcing assimilation, and prioritising citizens, to prevent a societal collapse akin to an ecological disaster. Compassion must be balanced with pragmatism, lest the best intentions lead to irreversible damage.
"Unchecked Immigration as Compared to an Invasive Species
By Kevin Finn
Kudzu is a fast-growing vine introduced to the U.S. from Asia. It was thought that it would serve as fodder for cattle and its rapid growth makes it suitable for controlling erosion.
Unfortunately, it smothers native plants, trees, and structures by outcompeting them for sunlight and resources. It spreads rapidly, covering vast areas and reduces biodiversity by displacing native flora. The USDA estimates that it costs $100–$500 million in damages and control costs in the U.S. It affects agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure, thrives in the southeastern U.S. climates and has no natural predators here, allowing unchecked growth.
Asian carp were introduced to North American waterways as a possible food source for humans, and as a means of controlling algae blooms and some aquatic fauna. These carp outcompete native fish for food (plankton) and space, disrupting aquatic ecosystems. Their rapid reproduction and lack of predators lead to dominance in rivers like the Mississippi. They threaten the $7 billion Great Lakes fisheries by reducing native fish populations. Control measures, like electric barriers, cost tens of millions annually.
Zebra mussels are native to Eastern Europe, and were likely introduced into the Great Lakes through the dumping of water from foreign freighters. They clog waterways, attach themselves to infrastructure, and filter large amounts of plankton, starving native species. They alter water clarity and nutrient cycles, impacting entire aquatic food webs. They cause billions of dollars in damages annually and control costs in the Great Lakes region alone exceed $500 million per year.
Similar stories could be told about the Gypsy Moth, Tree of Heaven, nutria, European Starlings and more. The United States Geological Service even has a database for nonindigenous species.
Most of these species have a few things in common. First, they were introduced into the U.S. either with the best of intentions, albeit with no understanding of the long-term consequences, or through simple negligence. They tend to spread rapidly, outpacing native species and efforts to control them. They disrupt ecosystems by outcompeting native species for resources or altering habitats. They incur high costs due to damage and management efforts, and they tend to lack natural checks such as predators or diseases in their new environments.
Analogous situations are occurring elsewhere, as in European cities such as Malmö, Sweden, or Molenbeek, Belgium where residents are experiencing integration challenges due to large numbers of migrants who do not assimilate. They form insular communities and maintain their own languages and customs. This can lead to cultural richness but also to social segregation. In some cities, this segregation leads to violence. Ireland and Spain, for example are reporting violent clashes between locals and immigrants.
Societies with high levels of unintegrated migration may face difficulties in maintaining shared values or civic participation, though evidence is mixed. For instance, Canada's multiculturalism model shows successful integration in many cases, while parallel communities in other contexts can strain social cohesion.
Large numbers of migrants can strain public resources like housing, healthcare, or welfare systems, especially if integration is slow. Migrants who do not integrate linguistically or vocationally may face higher unemployment or reliance on low-skill jobs, potentially creating economic burdens.
Host countries spend billions on integration programs (language training, education, etc.). For example, Sweden's integration costs for recent migrants have been estimated at €1billion – €2 billion annually, although some studies show that immigrants may contribute positively to economies over time.
On the other hand, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said in 2022 that her country has failed to integrate the vast numbers of immigrants it has taken in over the past two decades. This has led to parallel societies and gang violence.
Large-scale migration without assimilation can fuel anti-immigrant sentiments, as seen in the rise of new parties in Europe (e.g., AfD in Germany, National Rally in France) that oppose mass migration.
This reflects public concerns about cultural identity or security. In extreme cases, non-assimilation can lead to parallel legal systems such as informal Sharia councils in some U.K. communities, raising concerns about legal uniformity.
There are countless horror stories of unassimilated migrants clashing with indigenous populations in the U.K. and Western Europe. Locals in a Spanish town recently lashed out after migrants beat an elderly Spanish man.
Members of migrant rape gangs in the U.K. were recently arrested and tried. These rape gangs target British women and girls, who they refer to as "white sluts." Their countrymen protested, calling such arrests racially based.
In the U.S., a 2018 report found that 1 in 5 inmates of federal prisons were illegal aliens, with 91 percent being citizens of Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Colombia or Guatemala.
Both invasive species of plants and animals and large migrant populations can strain resources — ecological (e.g., food, space) for species, and social/economic (e.g., housing, education, jobs) for humans. Invasive species disrupt ecosystems by altering food webs or habitats; non-assimilating migrants may challenge social cohesion or cultural norms, though the extent depends on scale and context.
Controlling invasive species requires costly, ongoing efforts (e.g., kudzu removal). Similarly, integrating large migrant populations demands significant investment in education, language training, and social programs. Invasive species spread quickly due to high reproduction or lack of predators. Large-scale migration can lead to rapid demographic changes, particularly in urban areas, outpacing integration efforts.
The spread of invasive species is biological, while migrants are human beings with intentions, choices and rights. They are often fleeing hardship or seeking opportunity. While ecosystems have limited adaptability to invasive species without external intervention, human societies have laws and policies that can adapt to and even benefit from controlled migration. Migration effects can evolve over time, with many "non-assimilated" groups eventually integrating. The Italian and Irish immigrants in the U.S. are excellent examples.
Similarly, the U.S. is now home to approximately 3 million people from India. Indian immigrants are more likely to be highly educated, to work in management positions, and to have higher incomes. They also have lower poverty rates.
A number of years ago, I had a student from India transfer into my school in April. Her father was bilingual but she only spoke Hindi. She and her mother studied English together for the next five months, and when she started school in September she spoke it perfectly. Linguistic assimilation is possible, if one is willing to work at it. Compared with both the overall U.S.- and other foreign-born populations, Indian immigrants are more likely to be highly educated, live in intact families, work in management positions, and have higher incomes.
Drawing an analogy between invasive species and vast numbers of unassimilated migrants poses real challenges.
They both strain resources, create friction between native and nonnative members and incur management costs.
Invasive species are inherently destructive in ecological terms while the impact of migration depends on scale and policies. Some studies show that second-generation migrants often adopt host-country norms while retaining their own cultural heritage, unlike invasive species which rarely "integrate" into local ecosystems.
Large-scale migration without assimilation obviously strains social and economic systems which can lead to cultural or political tensions.
However, human societies have a greater capacity for adaptation than ecosystems, and migration's long-term effects can be positive.
Comparing invasive species with mass migration can be useful for understanding resource competition and disruption, but it breaks down when we consider human agency and the potential for integration over time. It also runs the very real risk of dehumanizing people who are seeking to improve their lives.
The current situation with illegal immigrants has been developing for decades, and accelerated markedly under pResident (not a typo) Biden's disastrous term in office. While the Trump administration is finally making a real effort to address it, the situation will likely continue to be problematic for years to come."