The following is a compilation of resources describing the network of anti-immigration groups and individuals founded, funded, or otherwise nurtured by the late John Tanton, the racist architect of the contemporary American nativist movement. Much of the foundational research was done by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), but many others have contributed substantially to public knowledge about the network. This index is grouped into topic areas in the hope of easing access for all those interested in Tanton’s lasting influence. It is accompanied, separately, by a set of up-to-date, short profiles of the most important Tanton groups and their leaders.
JOHN TANTON
An early profile of Tanton from the SPLC:
Tanton’s private papers come to light in 2008, revealing racist ideas and ties:
The New York Times reprises the SPLC’s 2008 investigation:
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/us/17immig.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=john%20tanton&st=cse
Tanton’s name scrubbed from FAIR site after New York Times story:
Tanton’s Washington Post obituary:
Tanton’s Detroit Free Press obituary:
Tanton’s Daily Beast obituary:
On Tanton’s legacy:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/07/18/john-tantons-legacy
SPLC Profile of Tanton:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/john-tanton
NUMBERSUSA
New York Times profile of Roy Beck:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/04/us/politics/roy-h-beck-quietly-leads-a-grass-roots-army.html
New York Times profile of NumbersUSA:
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/us/politics/15immig.html
FAKE ENVIRONMENTALISM & FRONT GROUPS
2010 white paper on Tanton network’s “greenwashing”:
https://www.splcenter.org/20100630/greenwash-nativists-environmentalism-and-hypocrisy-hate
Progressives for Immigration Reform:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2010/10/08/anti-immigrant-groups-continue-greenwashing-campaign
Sierra Club takeover attempt timeline:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/takeover-timeline
2004 documents related to Sierra Club takeover attempt:
https://www.splcenter.org/news/2004/01/14/dees-runs-sierra-club-board
Choose Black America:
FAIR front group publishes racist ads:
RACIST DOCUMENTS FROM TANTON
Complete text of Tanton’s first 1986 WITAN memo:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/witan-memo-i
Complete text of Tanton’s second 1986 WITAN memo:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/witan-memo-ii
Complete text of Tanton’s third 1986 WITAN memo:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/witan-memo-iii
Tanton considered European-American “defense league”:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2011/01/19/tanton-files-more-fair-founder’s-white-nationalism
Documents related to defense league proposal:
1995 letter about “Santeria and voodoo”:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4523830-20080327071533OCR.html
1983 staffer’s memo detailing Tanton comments about black women:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4523826-1983-03-06-MEMO-Tanton-s-Day.html
FEDERATION FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM (FAIR)
2007 story on FAIR:
Quotes from FAIR leaders:
FAIR’s racist “Borderline” video production:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2010/05/17/fair-files-race-destiny-group’s-tv-show-asks
SPLC Profile of FAIR:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/federation-american-immigration-reform
SPLC Profile of FAIR president Dan Stein:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/dan-stein
Stein defends Tanton:
Stein attacks multiculturalism:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2010/07/14/fair-files-attacks-multiculturalism-will-help
Profile of Frosty Woolridge, FAIR advisory board member:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2015/01/07/fair-advisory-board-member-bashes-muslims-…-again
Hispanic former FAIR official alleges racism at FAIR:
FAIR gave money to racist Arizona group:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2010/04/30/rachel-maddow-goes-steinin
FAIR official Julie Kirchner joins Trump administration:
Kirchner resigns:
FOUNDATIONS SUPPORTING THE TANTON NETWORK
The New York Times on Cordelia May Scaife:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/us/anti-immigration-cordelia-scaife-may.html
Scaife’s Colcom Foundation and the Tanton network:
https://old.post-gazette.com/pg/09182/980929-482.stm
Broad look at right-wing foundations, many of which support the Tanton network:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2003/mainstream?page=0%2C1#10
THE TANTON NETWORK
2009 SPLC white paper on the Tanton network:
https://www.splcenter.org/20090131/nativist-lobby-three-faces-intolerance
Right Wing Watch report on anti-immigrant lobby:
https://files.rightwingwatch.org/uploads/RWW-Final-Immigration-Report.pdf
Georgetown University’s Bridge Project fact sheets on Tanton network:
https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research-publications/factsheets/
2013 Splinter News story on the Tanton network:
https://splinternews.com/the-eugenicist-doctor-and-the-vast-fortune-behind-trump-1827322435
Western States Center report on Tanton network:
https://plotagainstimmigrants.com
List of Tanton-funded or -founded groups:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/john-tantons-network
U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) and the Tanton groups:
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg criticizes Tanton groups:
Tanton groups criticized by conservatives:
Pro-immigrant activist discusses the Tanton network:
CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES (CIS)
Washington Post profile of Mark Krikorian:
SPLC Profile of CIS:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/center-immigration-studies
Krikorian and the history of blaming immigrants for disease:
https://rantt.com/coronavirus-triggers-anti-asian-racism
CIS, other Tanton groups, blame immigrants for disease :
CIS official joins Trump administration:
Trump official speaks to CIS:
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT PRESS
SPLC Profile of The Social Contract Press:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/social-contract-press
SPLC Profile of Wayne Lutton, Social Contract editor:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/wayne-lutton
SPLC Profile of Social Contract writer Samuel Francis:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/sam-francis
Social Contract publishes Ann Coulter, Pam Geller:
Kevin DeAnna, others, revealed as Social Contract writers:
Social Contract publishes last edition:
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2020/04/23/social-contract-publishes-its-last-tract
EUGENICS & THE TANTON NETWORK
Center for New Community report on Tanton, eugenics and nativism:
The Anti-Defamation League on Tanton’s ties to eugenics:
https://www.adl.org/news/article/ties-between-anti-immigrant-movement-and-eugenics
SPLC profile of eugenicist Pioneer Fund that Tanton interacted with:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/pioneer-fund
SPLC profile of longtime FAIR board member Garrett Hardin:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/garrett-hardin
TANTON-LINKED GROUPS & INDIVIDUALS
The following articles describe groups and individuals who have been linked to Tanton and his network through ties of friendship, funding or other links that reflect ideological affinity.
SPLC profile of Jared Taylor of American Renaissance:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/jared-taylor
SPLC profile of Peter Brimelow of VDARE:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/peter-brimelow
Tanton’s relationship to Brimelow:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/courting-conservatives
Brimelow on immigration:
New York Times profile of Stephen Miller
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/14/us/politics/immigration-trump.html?searchResultPosition=4
Leaked emails evidence Miller’s racism:
Miller and the Tanton network:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-creepy-racist-network-behind-trump-aide-stephen-miller
SPLC profile of Kevin MacDonald:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/kevin-macdonald
K.C. McAlpin, former head of Tanton’s US Incorporated:
SPLC profile of Remembrance Project:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/remembrance-project
SPLC profile of Kris Kobach:
https://www.splcenter.org/20161118/kris-kobach-lawyer-americas-nativist-movement
K.C. McAlpin, former head of Tanton’s US Incorporated:
Academic racist Richard Lynn:
More on Lynn:
ProEnglish boss Robert Vandervoor:
SPLC profile of Richard Lynn:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/richard-lynn
SPLC profile of American Border Patrol/American Patrol:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/american-border-patrolamerican-patrol
SPLC profile of American Border Patrol boss Glenn Spencer:
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/glenn-spencer