Posted on 1/20/2005, 4:56:57 AM by Dan12180
Federation for Immigration Reform
The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Californians: Executive Summary
Analysis of the latest Census data indicates that California's illegal immigrant population is costing the state's taxpayers more than $10.5 billion per year for education, medical care and incarceration. Even if the estimated tax contributions of illegal immigrant workers are subtracted, net outlays still amount to nearly $9 billion per year. The annual fiscal burden from those three areas of state expenditures amounts to about $1,183 per household headed by a native-born resident.
This analysis looks specifically at the costs to the state for education, health care and incarceration resulting from illegal immigration. These three are the largest cost areas, and they are the same three areas analyzed in a 1994 study conducted by the Urban Institute, which provides a useful baseline for comparison ten years later. Other studies have been conducted in the interim, showing trends that support the conclusions of this report.
As this report will note, other significant costs associated with illegal immigration exist and should be taken into account by federal and state officials. But, even without accounting for all of the numerous areas in which costs associated with illegal immigration are being incurred by California taxpayers, the programs analyzed in this study indicate that the burden is substantial and that the costs are rapidly increasing.
The more than $10.1 billion in costs incurred by California taxpayers is composed of outlays in the following areas:
* Education. Based on estimates of the illegal immigrant population in California and documented costs of K-12 schooling, Californians spend approximately $7.7 billion annually on education for illegal immigrant children and for their U.S.-born siblings. Nearly 15 percent of the K-12 public school students in California are children of illegal aliens.
* Health care. Uncompensated medical outlays for health care provided to the state's illegal alien population amount to about $1.4 billion a year. * Incarceration. The cost of incarcerating illegal aliens in California's prisons and jails amounts to about $1.4 billion a year (not including related law enforcement and judicial expenditures or the monetary costs of the crimes that led to their incarceration).
State and local taxes paid by the unauthorized immigrant population go toward offsetting these costs, but they do not come near to matching the expenses. The total of such payments can generously be estimated at about $1.6 billion per year.
The fiscal costs of illegal immigration do not end with these three major cost areas. The total costs of illegal immigration to the state's taxpayers would be considerably higher if other cost areas such as special English instruction, school feeding programs, or welfare benefits for American workers displaced by illegal alien workers were added into the equation.
While the primary responsibility for combating illegal immigration rests with the federal government, there are many measures that state and local governments can take to combat the problem. Californians should not be expected to assume this already large and growing burden from illegal immigration simply because businesses or other special interests benefit from being able to employ lower cost workers. The state must adopt measures to systematically collect information on illegal alien use of taxpayer-funded services and on where they are employed. Policies could then be pursued to hold employers financially accountable.
The state could also enter into a cooperative agreement with the federal government for training local law enforcement personnel in immigration law so that illegal immigrants apprehended for criminal activities may be turned over to immigration authorities for removal from the country. Similarly, local officials who have adopted "sanctuary" measures that shield illegal aliens from being reported to the immigration authorities should be urged to repeal them.
November 2004 http://www.fairus.org/
If we truly believe in what this country stands for, we cannot in good faith and in good conscience deny that hope to all freedom-loving peoples of earth, regardless of the attendant costs and attendant pains.
For if we truly are a people of hope, we welcome immigrants with the knowledge that the benefits and advantages conferred by immigration will far outweigh the costs and pains. Our attitude toward immigration cannot be informed solely, or even primarily, by base economic considerations; our attitude toward immigration must ultimately turn on our belief in our future and ourselves.
The annual fiscal burden from those three areas of state expenditures amounts to about $1,183 per household headed by a native-born resident.
The people of the border states, California included, do NOT agree with you. Has it occurred to you that many struggling American families cannot afford to spend over a thousand dollars a year to support illegal aliens?
Are you two boys the PR committee for the immigrants? The contributions of immigrants, legal and otherwise, have always been overstated, and always by someone with a vested interest, either an immigrant or someone who wants to hire one. Cultural pollution, economic drain, crime disease, -- these are some of the actual - not immaginary - effects of immigration. Do we want to help them come here and suck the money? I don't think so.
One should never ever use the word immigration by itself unless you are intending to mislead your audience.
I have no problem with legal immigration and I welcome legal immigrants with open arms and a hearty hello.
I have a serious problem with illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants, from whatever source, need to be rounded up and deported post haste and, at the same time, we need the border secured to ensure that they stay home or return as a legal immigrant.
I hope that makes my position clear.
r u interested?
Just curious, but since this thread was just posted...would this be one of the conditions that you would post who added keywords to the thread?
Think it would prove a point early, and end a lot of pointless bickering.
heeeeeeere kitty kitty kitty
Somebody said dessert?
Sorry, what is your complaint? I don't understand.
It appears to be a good post. With two keywords that fit with the post. Then there's that racistgroup keyword. It sticks out a bit.
Was just wondering if someone other than the author added it, and if you'd be willing to let us know who that person was.
No, sorry.
Let it go -- the list of likely suspects is short and laughable.
While we're at it, help me guess how big this beast will grow. The great helm, in 12-gauge steel, fits my fat head loosely. Sauza, the kitten, will only be four months old day after tomorrow. His camera shy brother Ornito makes him look like the runt of the litter.
I want enforcement of immigration laws and deportation of all illegal immigrants.
I didn't intend to add "racist" to the keywords. It could easily be my error.
The western outskirts of what China considers its borders includes several sizable Islamic minority groups.
I agree! That is our problem; Enforcement of the Immigration Laws. The farmers contend they couldn't afford to pay higher wages to have their crops picked, without the "undocumented workers". California is one of the largest Agriculture producing areas in the world. We have laws to fine the employer, if they "knowingly hire Illegal Immigrants". Without the ways and means to verify the legality of immigrant documents, before the crops rot in the fields, they don't care. Bottom line, get the crops in to feed the world. They aren't the only laws not being enforced, so what's the solution? Cut off a finger, hand or toe? Not going to happen!
I doubt it based on your previous posting history.
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