Report: Illegal Immigration Could Cost Taxpayers Trillions

10news.com ^ | August 2, 2006

[Mount Athos]

Future costs for illegal immigrants in the United States will reach a half a trillion dollars, a Heritage Foundation researcher said Wednesday at congressional hearing in San Diego.

The influx of illegal immigrants has effectively "imported about 10 million high school dropouts into the United States," said Robert Rector, a senior research fellow in welfare and family issues for the Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

Rector testified before the House Judiciary Committee, which convened at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot for one in a series of hearings on illegal immigration this month.

The hearings are a rebuttal to a Senate bill that House members believe will result in amnesty for illegal immigrants.

The topic of the discussion was the fiscal impacts of illegal immigration.

The National Academy of Sciences estimated that each immigrant will result in a $100,000 net annual cost to taxpayers.

Rector said once illegal immigrants become citizens they can bring family members into the country, straining education and health care budgets.

"This Senate bill will become the largest expansion of the welfare system in 30 years and it's the wrong thing to do," he said.

Wayne Cornelius, director of the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies at UC San Diego, said tighter border security would not stop or even discourage migrants from crossing into the country.

"Even if they are caught, they try again until they are successful," Cornelius told the committee. "Our research shows that 92 to 97 percent of them succeed on the first or second try."

According to Cornelius, his research team interviewed 1,300 migrants over the last 18 months.

Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., the committee's chairman, said hospitals in the Southwestern United States are losing $190 million annually per year for uncompensated health care from illegal immigrants.

Nineteen percent of federal inmates are not citizens, he said.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich said "illegal immigration tears at the moral and economic fabric of the country."

"The fiscal drain is catastrophic," Antonovich said.

According to Antonovich, 12 percent of the 10.2 million residents of Los Angeles County are illegal immigrants.

Thirty percent of public health patients in the county are illegal immigrants, he testified.

The hearing is one in a series being held nationwide at a time when the Senate and House of Representatives are deadlocked over competing immigration legislation.

House Republicans beginning with Sensenbrenner argue that the Senate bill, which provides a pathway to eventual legalized status for some illegal immigrants, amounts to an amnesty.

Democrats have dismissed the series of hearings as an election-year ploy not intended to produce genuine reform.

Rep. Howard Berman, D-Van Nuys, questioned the rationale for the hearings.

"These hearings are a con job on the American people," Berman said. "They want to avoid a conference (committee) because the bill splits their party and it is an election year."

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, said the hearings, 19 of which are scheduled this month, are "not a waste of time."

Issa said the House and Senate are deadlocked between stronger enforcement and amnesty. Issa said he believes the House will not get to a conference with the Senate on the issue before the November election.

The We Are America/Somos America Alliance said in a statement yesterday that Wednesday's hearing would only "further delay a meaningful solution to the nation's immigration crisis."

"Immigrants contribute to and participate in our society," it read.

The group said the House Judiciary Committee hearings "are intended to associate immigrants with terrorists and present this hard-working community as a drain our our society's resources."

Another Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration was held early last month at an Imperial Beach U.S. Border Patrol station. The next is scheduled to be held in Santee on Saturday.

[ncountylee]

C-Span continues to treat the hearings like they are radioactive.

[Jameison]

""Immigrants contribute to and participate in our society," it read. "

That's ILLEGAL immigrants to you sucker.
And yeah , they have contributed up to a million sex crimes, over $70 billion worth of cocaine every year, and tens of thousands of murders.

[kellynla]

ping

[dennisw]

bttt

[Jameison]

"These hearings are a con job on the American people," Berman said.

Naaah.
The Senate Shamensty Bill IS the con job.
The hearings are shinning the light of day on the more evil parts of the senate con job.

[CottonBall]

The influx of illegal immigrants has effectively "imported about 10 million high school dropouts into the United States," said Robert Rector, a senior research fellow in welfare and family issues for the Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

No kidding. And why does the last superpower, a technologically advanced country need uneducated, illiterate workers? We're getting enough of those from what our education system produces.

[beaversmom]

ping

[beaversmom]

ping

[VOA]

bump

[Mount Athos]

are they not covering them? What do you mean

[Hodar]

Other than up to a million sex crimes, over $70 billion worth of cocaine every year, and tens of thousands of murders .... what have the illegal aliens done for us?

[ncountylee]

I don't believe many are covered.

[kellynla]

ping

[pageonetoo]

Bush Policy. It doesn't matter who you vote for, you still get screwed if you're just Joe Taxpayer. Drug benefits, "guest workers", and the good old partnership with Teddie on the "No child left behind" (his personal guarantee for public school success teddie musta had his fingers crossed), are faults of this Republican administration, led by Mr.bush.

I'm glad he's got good war advisors, put a few judges in, and gave us John Bolton, at least!

I'm just sick of seeing my country going to shit with this government's assistance!

[Toddsterpatriot]

The National Academy of Sciences estimated that each immigrant will result in a $100,000 net annual cost to taxpayers.

I agree that illegals are a net cost, but let's do the math.

1,000,000 illegals x $100,000 = $100,000,000,000 (that's 100 billion) annually. Doesn't add up.

[tdewey10]

I can make up imaginary numbers too.

The half a trillion number is ridiculous.

[oldbill]

There are 12-20 million illegals.
It does add up.

[RoseofTexas]

The only contributions the ILLEGAL immigrants are causing is making folk like us pay through the nose for their freebies! We are being TAX to death in Texas cause the ILLEGAL situation has gotten outta hand! Remember, the state can slap a law suit on any school district, hospital, housing who denies education and the rest of the stuff to any child who crosses the border on a daily basis to get free schooling and the rest at our expense! BUILD THE DAMN WALL NOW!!

[gubamyster]

ping

[calcowgirl]

Bump!

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

If there were only 1 million Criminals who overstay their visas or those who just INVADE, we would have a much smaller problem!

[janetgreen]

The only contributions the ILLEGAL immigrants are causing is making folk like us pay through the nose for their freebies!

If you think Texas is bad, you should see California! We have been colonized, and it won't be long until we're outnumbered by illegals from Mexico.

The WIMPS IN WASHINGTON won't do a thing about it, we're nothing to them but a money machine.

We'll be in a hell of a fix when the takers outnumber the givers.

[Toddsterpatriot]

There are 12-20 million illegals.
It does add up.

No it doesn't. From the article:
Future costs for illegal immigrants in the United States will reach a half a trillion dollars

12 million would be $1.2 trillion a year. 20 million would be $2 trillion.

[paul51]

Report: Illegal Immigration Could Cost Taxpayers Trillions

Yeah, but look at all the money we are saving on vegetables and yard work.

[Proud2BAmerican]

From the article, it says the Heritage Foundation researcher pegs the cost at a half-trillion. The National Academy of Sciences pegs the cost at $100,000/yr. per illegal. I don't know that the NAS is the same as the Heritage Foundation researcher, but it may be that they're coming up with different numbers.

[Beagle8U]

"The National Academy of Sciences estimated that each immigrant will result in a $100,000 net annual cost to taxpayers."

100k ?? A year for each? That pegs the BS meter to the red line.

[MrEdd]

100k ?? A year for each? That pegs the BS meter to the red line.

It's an average, not a median. Look at health care and education costs picked up by the taxpayer on say a family of 5 (and wife pregnant again) plus 2 elderly parents 1 with cancer. Am I exaggerating? Come watch the entrance at a Texas Walmart.

[SR 50]

ping

[A. Pole]

The National Academy of Sciences estimated that each immigrant will result in a $100,000 net annual cost to taxpayers.

Even if it were true, private employers will make some money and this what free market is about. In addition this helps to keep wages low for native workers.

[A. Pole]

Doesn't add up.

It does. Several millions plus relatives.

[taxed2death]

"1,000,000 illegals x $100,000 = $100,000,000,000 (that's 100 billion) annually. Doesn't add up."

It's close enough to be felt by all taxpayers!....conservative estimates by Heritage Foundation put the cost of illegals to California taxpayers alone at 10 billion last year.

[taxed2death]

"It's an average, not a median. Look at health care and education costs picked up by the taxpayer on say a family of 5 (and wife pregnant again) plus 2 elderly parents 1 with cancer. Am I exaggerating? Come watch the entrance at a Texas Walmart."

Good point. Illegals breed like rabbits because they don't have to worry about paying for anything.

[Beagle8U]

"It's an average, not a median. Look at health care and education costs picked up by the taxpayer on say a family of 5 (and wife pregnant again) plus 2 elderly parents 1 with cancer. Am I exaggerating?"

Using the figures in the article they would cost taxpayers 700k a year. Yes, I would say thats BS.

[Hydroshock]

And that is all that many politicos care about. Keeping wages low.

[Arrowhead1952]

Here in Austin, KLBJ is talking about another illegal issue. The city wants to pay employees an additional $150 per month if they can speak Spanish. That will cost the city taxpayers about $760,000 per year. I'm glad I don't live in Austin.

[snowrip]

Even if it were true, private employers will make some money and this what free market is about. In addition this helps to keep wages low for native workers.

Huh? Explain again how the illegal alien problem strengthens America... I can't wait to hear it.

[conservativecorner]

Send the illegals home BUMP!

[A. Pole]

Huh? Explain again how the illegal alien problem strengthens America... I can't wait to hear it.

It makes labor cheaper. By straining the social services it might create conditions for dismantling wasteful New Deal legacy. It will help to keep lower classes down as it is done in Latin America. In addition it will provide a large poll of inexpensive and expendable soldiers to fight wars anywhere on the globe. Cheap and numerous servants are not bad either.

[Toddsterpatriot]

but it may be that they're coming up with different numbers.

Well, what do you know? That's what I've been saying. :^)

[Toddsterpatriot]

conservative estimates by Heritage Foundation put the cost of illegals to California taxpayers alone at 10 billion last year.

Great, but how many illegals does California have?

California's nearly 3 million illegal immigrants cost taxpayers nearly $9 billion each year, according to a new report released last week by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a Washington, D.C.-based group that promotes stricter immigration policies.

Cost of illegal immigration in California estimated at nearly $9 billion

According to this older article, 3,000,000 illegals cost $9,000,000,000. I'll do the math for you, that's $3,000 each.

[Paul Ross]

Inapt. Monty Python comics were not illegal aliens.

[taxed2death]

That's $3000.00 to much if you ask me. Let's not fight about figures, let's take care of the problem.

[Paul Ross]

100k ?? A year for each? That pegs the BS meter to the red line

Surprised you have such a biassed outlook, that is so blindered. Looks like about right based on the continuing ongoing catastrophic impacts on education, with imposed ESL, health care (with Emergency Rooms and hospitals having to close), welfare supports, (housing, food stamps etc.) that they suck up...and give the Welfare Bureaucracy "Job Security."

Take away the Illegals, and the Bureaucracy will be looking for jobs.

[Toddsterpatriot]

That's $3000.00 to much if you ask me.

I agree.

Let's not fight about figures, let's take care of the problem.

Great. Build a wall and send them back.

[Beagle8U]

"According to this older article, 3,000,000 illegals cost $9,000,000,000. I'll do the math for you, that's $3,000 each."

I wonder what low wage, uninsured American citizens cost taxpayers a year? I'll bet its close to the same $3000.

Illegals are a problem that needs to be stopped, but the costs come from socialism programs, that needs to be stopped also.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Looks like about right based on the continuing ongoing catastrophic impacts on education, with imposed ESL, health care (with Emergency Rooms and hospitals having to close), welfare supports, (housing, food stamps etc.) that they suck up...and give the Welfare Bureaucracy "Job Security."

How much does all that cost? Divided by how many illegals? Do the math Paul, we'll wait.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Illegals are a problem that needs to be stopped, but the costs come from socialism programs, that needs to be stopped also.

Exactly. Immigrants weren't a problem in the past. Work or starve. Now that they can spend taxpayer money, they are a problem.

Build a wall, send them back.

[Beagle8U]

"Surprised you have such a biassed outlook, that is so blindered."

No bias, no blinders, I just don't believe the 100k part, 10k perhaps.

[janetgreen]

California's nearly 3 million illegal immigrants cost taxpayers nearly $9 billion each year

I think there are more than 3 million here in California, but the fact that we are forced to support any of them to the tune of several billion dollars every year is outrageous, and the politicians supporting this invasion should be ousted, all of them.

It is not the responsibility of the American taxpayer to support illegal invaders. Washington wants us to believe that it is.