"This type of mass influx is simply too much to handle. What we've had since the disaster of the 1965 Immigration Act will take 100 years or more to absorb"

Peter Brimelow’s statement addresses concerns about the scale of immigration to the United States following the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. He characterizes the increase in arrivals after this legislation as a "mass influx", implying a dramatic surge that, in his view, exceeds the country's societal capacity to integrate newcomers effectively. The Act itself is notable as a turning point in American immigration policy. By eliminating the national origins quota system, it opened doors to immigrants from regions previously underrepresented, particularly Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Brimelow’s perspective draws on the idea that assimilation, the process by which immigrants adopt the language, values, and customs of the host society, takes significant time and cannot occur smoothly if the numbers exceed a particular threshold. The phrase "simply too much to handle" suggests that the perceived scale of immigration presents difficulties for cultural adaptation, social cohesion, and perhaps economic stability. His assertion that it will take "100 years or more to absorb" the inflow points to a belief in long-term consequences, not just immediate pressures on infrastructure or welfare systems, but deeper, generational impacts on the nation's character and demographic composition.

Implicit in his remarks is a skepticism about the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for integration and a concern that rapid demographic changes may lead to fragmentation or division within society. Brimelow’s language reflects anxieties that emerged in some segments of American political and cultural discourse in response to the shifts brought by the 1965 legislation, particularly regarding national identity, shared values, and the ability of institutions to adapt. His statement is both a critique of past policy decisions and a warning about their enduring legacy, suggesting a need for reevaluation of immigration flows in light of perceived assimilation challenges and the scale of change.