Sure, but the true purpose (at least here in NJ) is to find taxpayers to pay for the schooling, police/fire protection, etc. for the ghetto folk. Our cities are bankrupt, and state aid dried up as the state went bankrupt as well. State aid was keeping the city employees paid...
It sounds like you’re at the fiscal point where an appeal to Washington, DC is in order. I’d get in line quickly tho, Puerto Rico needs some taxpayer loot and that is going to be a whopper.