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The Fiscal Cost of Unlawful Immigrants and Amnesty to the U.S. Taxpayer
Heritage Foundation ^ | May 6, 2013 | Robert Rector and Jason Richwine

Posted on 05/13/2013 10:15:41 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck

Executive Summary

Unlawful immigration and amnesty for current unlawful immigrants can pose large fiscal costs for U.S. taxpayers. Government provides four types of benefits and services that are relevant to this issue:

Direct benefits. These include Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.

Means-tested welfare benefits. There are over 80 of these programs which, at a cost of nearly $900 billion per year, provide cash, food, housing, medical, and other services to roughly 100 million low-income Americans. Major programs include Medicaid, food stamps, the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit, public housing, Supplemental Security Income, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

Public education. At a cost of $12,300 per pupil per year, these services are largely free or heavily subsidized for low-income parents.

Population-based services. Police, fire, highways, parks, and similar services, as the National Academy of Sciences determined in its study of the fiscal costs of immigration, generally have to expand as new immigrants enter a community; someone has to bear the cost of that expansion.

The cost of these governmental services is far larger than many people imagine. For example, in 2010, the average U.S. household received $31,584 in government benefits and services in these four categories.

The governmental system is highly redistributive. Well-educated households tend to be net tax contributors: The taxes they pay exceed the direct and means-tested benefits, education, and population-based services they receive. For example, in 2010, in the whole U.S. population, households with college-educated heads, on average, received $24,839 in government benefits while paying $54,089 in taxes. The average college-educated household thus generated a fiscal surplus of $29,250 that government used to finance benefits for other households.

Read the rest of the report here:

(Excerpt) Read more at heritage.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; immigration; mccain; richwine
Amnesty enthusiasts always assure us that the millions of uneducated, unskilled third world immigrants who are here illegally would actually enrich our society if only we embraced them.

A reality check by the Heritage Foundation suggests otherwise. Far from rescuing our economy and social institutions, the overwhelming majority of illegals are a net drain on society.

1 posted on 05/13/2013 10:15:41 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: ek_hornbeck

May Fifth is National Mexican go home day, and all other alien illegal invaders.


2 posted on 05/13/2013 10:16:55 AM PDT by Graewoulf (Traitor John Roberts' Commune-Style Obama'care' violates U.S. Constitution AND Anti-Trust Law.)
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To: ek_hornbeck

Amnesty does not mean a thing the cost will be the same or more unless they cancel their Dole and no allowance to reapply for 5 years! They want amnesty, well I would like Amnesty for the taxpayer paying for all their BS!


3 posted on 05/13/2013 10:19:02 AM PDT by Conserev1 ("Still Clinging to my Bible and my Weapon")
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To: Conserev1
It should be self-evident without the help of any studies that millions of third world people with few to no skills, no education, and no desire to assimilate are going to be a net drain.

Yet the Democrats, enabled by far too many Republicans (such as McCain and Miss Graham), want us to believe that these same people will work some kind of economic miracle in the US - eliminating unemployment, rescuing Social Security, and and revitalizing our civic life all in a single bound!

4 posted on 05/13/2013 10:26:42 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: ek_hornbeck

Add to the Heritage outline these facts;
Protecting our Sovereignty

In that May 3rd speech Obama gave before the Mexican Anthropological Museum in which he blamed America for the violence in Mexico I believe he went even futhur. There’s a inference but never referenced by name to the Gasden purchase and border settlements US made with Mexico where Obama hinted he seems to side with the Mexican claims. Would those in attendence share that view is a question that should be asked, because I believe they would,.he does.

As a counter to the amnesty push I’ve been arguing for reciprocal treatment. Pointing out that the Mexicans have been getting most favorable treatment above the rest of our neighbors both north and south. They’re permitted to cross our borders and enter illegally and are allowed access to rights of citizenship (with the exception of voting which if the democrat party regains control over the House will happen) other nationals entering this country don’t get.

Also by allowing Mexicans to do this any quota ration for immigration from other south and central American countrys are taken up by Mexicans while that country is laying claim to a large chunk of our sovereign territory.

We are already seeing the result of this in certain areas claimed by the Mexicans. Their national flag (standard) gets displayed over ours. Where there is a controlling number of Mexican nationals (illegals). It’s displayed over certain institutions particularly schools accompanied by riots and disturbances. Blacks are threatend by Mexicans in certain sections of citys in those areas. We’re courting trouble by not placing a value on our sovereignty and our citizenship.

Worse yet if a US citizen goes into Mexico never mind illegaly but legally. They’ll get 2nd class treatment. Land ownership in title is prohibited period. And there are a slew of regulations they must comply with. Which doesn’t apply to a citizen of Mexico.

By not insisting on reciprocity particularly on those who have entered this country illegally we’re offering no incentive for assimilation and we’re not easing the burden for our fellow citizens who for what ever reason decided to live in Mexico.


5 posted on 05/13/2013 10:29:37 AM PDT by mosesdapoet (Serious contribution pause.Please continue onto meaningless venting no one reads.)
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To: ek_hornbeck

Richwine, formerly of the Heritage Foundation...


6 posted on 05/13/2013 10:35:42 AM PDT by babble-on
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To: ek_hornbeck; Liz

and the illegal aliens...

they will cost us up to 6 TRILLION if they get AMNESTY


7 posted on 05/13/2013 10:48:02 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: ek_hornbeck

there have been many conserbative organizations refuting that heritage report
saying it doesn’t use accurate figures.
Common sense suggests there is NO WAY illegals won’t cost taxpayers tons more
illegals getting even permanent cards will be a huge net DRAIN
but it may be too late to stop the illegal train wreck


8 posted on 05/13/2013 10:54:32 AM PDT by RWGinger
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To: babble-on

Richwine became “controversial” for observing that most of the immigrants that we get from Mexico are from the low IQ end of the scale.


9 posted on 05/13/2013 10:57:47 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: ek_hornbeck

What a bunch of losers the alleged right leaning organization have become.

The is no such thing as an Unlawful or Illegal Immigrant.

These people have not, are not, will not immigrate.

They are criminal trespasser and if we cannot even fight the wordsmith battle with the left we sure cannot expect to win the entire debate.

If one of these criminal trespassers took up residence in some government official’s home would they be unlawful guests, unlawful residents?

STOP letting the left define the terms of the debate and you will have a better starting point from which to launch your argument.


10 posted on 05/13/2013 12:10:28 PM PDT by Wurlitzer (Nothing says "ignorance" like Islam! 969)
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To: ek_hornbeck

bkmk


11 posted on 05/13/2013 1:24:18 PM PDT by Sergio (An object at rest cannot be stopped! - The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight)
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To: ek_hornbeck

The Eight Cucarachas have told us everything will be fine. Would they lie?


12 posted on 05/13/2013 8:42:42 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: ek_hornbeck

As we see multiple federal agencies affected by budget cuts and furloughs, I begin to wonder how long the Federal Government will be able to keep up with its constitutional functions before the wave of entitlement spending overwhelms it. Entitlement spending is neither constitutional nor sustainable.


13 posted on 05/15/2013 4:13:42 AM PDT by exDemMom (Now that I've finally accepted that I'm living a bad hair life, I'm more at peace with the world.)
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