Posted on 05/23/2007 9:19:49 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
The immigration debate is roaring again, and we're happy to join the fun. One place to start is a myth that has become a key talking point among restrictionists on the right -- to wit, that immigrants come to the U.S. for a life of ease on the public dole.
Leading this charge is the Heritage Foundation's Robert Rector, who argues in a new study that "the average lifetime costs to the taxpayer will be $1.1 million" for each low-skilled immigrant household. Hispanic immigrants and their families are a net national drain, he says, because they "assimilate into welfare."
Mr. Rector and Heritage have done some good social science research in the past, but this time they have the story backward: In most cases immigrants will pay at least as much in lifetime federal taxes as they receive in benefits.
One basic flaw in the Heritage analysis is that, as a study by the Immigration Policy Center points out: "The vast majority of immigrants are not eligible to receive any of these [welfare] benefits for many years after their arrival in the United States. . . . Legal permanent residents cannot receive SSI [Supplemental Security Income], which is available only to U.S. citizens, and are not eligible for means-tested public benefits until 5 years after receiving their green cards."
Illegal immigrants are also ineligible for any kind of federal welfare benefits -- with the exception of emergency health care. Many of the Congressional proposals to legalize this population would not allow these workers to collect welfare until waiting up to eight years for a green card and five years after that.
The "welfare" charge is also refuted by the experience of the federal welfare reform passed 11 years ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
2. Not surprised to see the increase in Medicaid, especially with all of the ads in Spanish that Pataki pushed while he was governor.
All this talk about “immigrants” here. Did he even mention “illegal aliens”? Or how about “illegal immigrants”?
Any mention of anchor babies?
It might be true of immigrants, but it sure isn't true of illegals.
There are also cases of mixed families where the children are drawing the benefits because they were born here. And then there are the other non-federal costs like medical care at ERs, schools, and prisons. And how good is the verification process for claiming federal benefits?
Public schooling is a very expensive welfare program, at least in my area.
It looks like the WSJ needs low cost immigrants to print their newspapers.
They don’t mention the second generation, either. Right now the number of illegitimate births to Hispanic teens is increasing rapidly. The first generation here may work, the second may very well become part of our poverty and crime statistics.
Yep. This country is more like Brazil: blacks and browns on the bottom, whites (and to a certain extent, Asians) at the top, with an increasingly mixed middle.
Anyone who does not think the pending amnesty travesty will not be a black hole for U.S. taxpayer welfare and entitlement dollars, is living a TRILLION DOLLAR LIE.
Remmber this pro-illegal government WILL NOT CLOSE THE BORDERS and when the word “amnesty” hits the fan, there will be a flood of horror across our border — just like it did when Bush made his famous “pro-amnesty” speech that caused illegal influx to INCREASE, and which his subsequent famous memo went out to the Border Patrol telling them to keep that fact quiet.
Who is looking out for America??
So Juan & Maria sneak accross the border. She’s 8 1/2 months pregnant and immediately goes to a county hospital for free ($5,000) birthing costs of their 1st little anchor baby who is a citizen and does get welfare.
Over the next several years the couple have 5 more little citizens ($25K in new birthing experiences)all of which are entitled to welfare, etc.
Since their arrival, Juan & Maria have been hard workers, even though they use stolen SS cards. They are rewarded with over $4K/year in EIC payments (more public welfare). They don’t have to pay income taxes because of their low wages and large family.
Then their 6 kids each get a $9K/ year education along with free lunches.
But Juan & Maria are hard workers and after 20 years in the USA they are still only making $3 more than minimum wage.
Yep, this couple is a fine example of how much they contribute.
WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!
Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them.
I am puzzled as to why The Wall Street Journal is going to bat for the Democrats and the illegals.
This editorial is flat-out dishonest.
“Remmber this pro-illegal government WILL NOT CLOSE THE BORDERS and when the word “amnesty” hits the fan, there will be a flood of horror across our border — just like it did when Bush made his famous “pro-amnesty” speech that caused illegal influx to INCREASE, and which his subsequent famous memo went out to the Border Patrol telling them to keep that fact quiet.”
We must stop this bill!!!!
B T T T
That line really caught my eye too. “in MOST CASES.....at Least....” so in most cases (some) at least(less). All you have to do is visit a not for profit clinic, emergency room, or just be at a bank on welfare check day. Numbers get thrown around both ways. Even if the article is correct, which I don’t believe,how will this country stay on top if it just breaks even on immigrants?
This is what I find despicable. To the business uber alles crowd probably one of the most important debates in this country's history is just "fun". These losers have no soul only a bank account. In a way it's unfortunate that if the patriots win this battle the bloodsuckers will prosper just the same.
Mixing immigration with illegal immigration again. This stupid article might as well have come from the Boston Globe, or NY Times.
One place to start is a myth that has become a key talking point among restrictionists on the right — to wit, that immigrants come to the U.S. for a life of ease on the public dole.”
STRAWMAN ALERT. It’s not why they come, its WHAT THEY GET.
Do they dispute the $2.5 trillion?
Do they dispute that low wage immigrants will get far more in social benefits than they pay in taxes?
“Illegal immigrants are also ineligible for any kind of federal welfare benefits — with the exception of emergency health care. Many of the Congressional proposals to legalize this population would not allow these workers to collect welfare until waiting up to eight years for a green card and five years after that.”
The life expectancy of most folks is a big higher than 13 years!!!! And the idea that illegal immigrants dont cost the social welfare system money is nuts. County healthcare systems are bursting at the seams with costs for illegals.
Further, they are not ineligible for EITC.
Incredible that the Journal wuld try to peddle this trash agin.
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