The numbers are surprising.
Unless you run across a page like this, you probably have only a vague idea of the
scope of the immigration problem, and the magnitude of the financial impact on
this country. The problem is much larger and more costly than most people
realize.
Study: Illegal alien
population may be as high as 38 million. A new report finds the Homeland Security Department
"grossly underestimates" the number of illegal aliens living in the U.S. Homeland Security's Office of
Immigration Studies released a report August 31 that estimates the number of illegal aliens residing in
the U.S. is between 8 and 12 million. But the group Californians for Population Stabilization,
or CAPS, has unveiled a report estimating the illegal population is actually between 20 and 38 million.
Use money transfers to
stop illegal immigrants. Mexican workers in the U.S. send an estimated $23 billion back home every year,
typically in small amounts. Officially, these transfers are called "remittances" — just for some current
perspective, it's more than Mexico's total annual tourism revenue, and until recently it was larger than their
annual oil revenue!
Half of immigrants
in Texas are there illegally, study says. Half of the nearly 3.5 million immigrants living
in Texas are in the country illegally, the Center for Immigration Studies says in a report being released
today [11/29/2007]. Based on the latest Census Bureau data, the report said Texas has one of the
fastest-growing immigrant populations of any state. It said that 50 percent of the state's
foreign-born population — slightly more than 1.7 million people — are illegal
immigrants.
The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Immigrants to
the U.S. Taxpayer: Means-tested programs are typically termed welfare programs. … The largest
of these are Medicaid; the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); food stamps; Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
Section 8 housing; public housing; Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF); the school lunch and
breakfast programs; the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) nutrition program; and the Social Services Block
Grant (SSBG). Many means-tested programs, such as SSI and the EITC, provide cash to recipients.
Others, such as public housing or SSBG, pay for services that are provided to recipients. … Overall,
the U.S. spent $564 billion on means-tested aid in FY 2004.
Western
Union Empire Moves Migrant Cash Home. To glimpse how migration is changing the world, consider
Western Union, a fixture of American lore that went bankrupt selling telegrams at the dawn of the Internet age
but now earns nearly $1 billion a year helping poor migrants across the globe send money home.
Migration is so central to Western Union that forecasts of border movements drive the company's stock.
The costs of illegal immigration:
Governments are infatuated with numbers. … Domestic violence arrests. Home sales. Public school
enrollment. Incidents of disease. Tax collections. Tourist traffic. Population growth.
Highway accidents. Marriage licenses. And on and on and on. All calculated to the most miniscule
unit of measurement, all data available to inquiring members of the taxpaying public. But as Congress and
scores of state and local governments grapple with the most important, divisive domestic policy issue of the
day — illegal immigration — little specific information is available.
Giving Welfare to Illegals:
The Heritage analysis of the costs of amnesty was a study of the fiscal costs (benefits received minus taxes
paid) of amnesty recipients during their retirement years. It concluded that amnesty recipients would
impose a likely net cost of $2.6 trillion dollars on the taxpayers during that period and that these
costs would mainly occur in two non-welfare programs (Social Security and Medicare) and in one means-tested
program (Medicaid). The study explicitly states that these costs will not commence until 25 to
30 years after the bill is enacted.
A New
Argument About Immigration. The pro-more-immigration crowd argues that today's immigrants are just like
immigrants of a century ago: poor people looking for a better life who are expected to advance in our land of opportunity.
[Mark] Krikorian's new argument is that while today's immigrants may be like earlier ones, the America they come to is so very
different that our previous experience with immigrants is practically irrelevant. The essential difference between the
two waves of immigrants was best summed up by the Nobel Prize-winning advocate of a free market, Milton Friedman. He
said, "It's just obvious that you can't have free immigration and a welfare state."
Report
Uncovers Hidden Cost of Immigration. Are you having a hard time paying your bills, making your mortgage
payments, or putting your kids through college? You need to know how much of your hard-earned income the government is
skimming off and diverting into handouts to immigrants and illegal immigrants. You can read the depressing details in
the new 70-page document called "The
Economic and Fiscal Impact of Immigration" by Edwin S. Rubenstein.
Illegal Alien Welfare
Costs Exceed $35 Million. LA County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has announced that a new
report shows illegal aliens and their families in Los Angeles County collected over $35 million in welfare and
food stamp allocations in July. In the report, illegals are said to have collected nearly $20 million
in welfare assistance for July 2007 and an additional $15 million in monthly food stamp allocations for an
estimated annual cost of $440 million.
Immigrants are Filling the
Cities. Atlanta added more people than any other metro area from 2000 to 2006; the area, which
includes Sandy Springs and Marietta, Ga., added 890,000 people, putting its population at about
5.1 million. Gaining the most after Atlanta were Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Phoenix and
Riverside, Calif.
What Does
Illegal Immigration Cost? a scholar at the Heritage Foundation, Robert Rector, has found a new
and revealing way to get at the answer. … Rector found that in 2004, the most recent year for which figures
are available, low-skill households received an average of $32,138 per household — the great majority in the
form of means-tested aid and direct benefits. (Rector excluded from that figure the cost of public goods and
interest; with those included, he says, each low-skill household receives an average of $43,084.) Against
that, Rector found that low-skill households paid an average of $9,689 in taxes.
Social Security for illegal
aliens. An agreement the Bush administration reached with Mexico on Social Security benefits would
allow illegal aliens granted amnesty in the future to claim credit for the time they worked illegally. The
deal was reached in 2004 but never released publicly because it hasn't been submitted to Congress. The
TREA Senior Citizens League, a Social Security advocacy group, recently obtained the document through a Freedom
of Information Act, and said it confirms the group's worst fears.
U.S. Jails are Overflowing with Illegal
Aliens. The government does not know how many aliens, lawfully admitted, left the United States
within the time they were authorized to remain. This is because US-VISIT, the system that was supposed
to use biometrics to track the entry and departure of aliens from the United States, is unable to track
effectively the departure of nonimmigrant aliens even though the government has already spent over one billion
dollars on that program, recommended by the 9/11 Commission. Most of the immigration system is
dysfunctional. Goals are seldom met, and effective strategies to deter illegal immigration have
yet to be formulated, let alone implemented.
However...
Mistakes,
Lies and Prison Statistics. Taking the total state-federal prison population (2,193,798) and the
total number of non-citizens in both systems (122,708), the actual percentage of "criminal aliens" in our
prisons amounts to 5.5% — not even remotely close to the 29% or "one third" claimed by clownish demagogues.
Repeatedly misrepresenting the percentage of "illegals" in our prisons by a factor of more than 5 to 1
amounts to more than a trivial mistake, and becomes an outrageous, irresponsible, indefensible lie.
Critics say Social Security deal would give
billions to Mexicans. The Social Security Administration insists that the agreement —
which has yet to be signed by President Bush and sent to Congress for consideration — would cost the
retirement and disability fund a relatively scant $105 million annually for the first five years.
[$105 million is not a "scant" amount of money.]
Social Security siphon:
As Stephen Dinan reported in The Washington Times yesterday [1/4/2007], the Bush administration has reached an
agreement with Mexico that would permit illegal aliens, after they are granted amnesty in the future, to claim
Social Security benefits for the work they performed while in the United States illegally, even if the illegal
aliens committed felonies by using fraudulent Social Security documents to obtain their jobs.
[Why do we need to reach an agreement with Mexico on this?]
Totalization is a Bad Idea. Through
a Freedom of Information Act Request, a private group recently obtained a copy of a 2004 agreement between the
United States and Mexico that will allow hundreds of thousands of noncitizens to receive Social Security
benefits. The agreement creates a so-called "totalization" plan between the two nations.
Illegal aliens murder 12 Americans
daily. While the military "quagmire" in Iraq was said to tip the scales of power in the U.S.
midterm elections, most Americans have no idea more of their fellow citizens — men, women and
children — were murdered this year by illegal aliens than the combined death toll of U.S. troops
in Iraq and Afghanistan since those military campaigns began.
Immigration statistics estimated by the
current date and time. One figure shows "Illegal's (sic) Enrolled in Public Schools K-12", and it
advances at a constant rate, even on the weekends. It's rather interesting to see the estimates,
despite the inattention to detail.
Las Vegas:
Hispanic students outnumber whites. Hispanic students outnumber white students for the first time
in the 50-year history of the Clark County School District, according to the latest figures from the district.
Taxpayers called
'doormat' for illegal border crossings. San Diego area government officials complained yesterday
[8/14/2006] that the federal government's failure to curb illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border was
sapping local public services while a key House chairman said prospects for action this year on the
immigration front did not look good.
Illegal immigrant numbers
in U.S. up to 11 million. About 11 million illegal immigrants were living in the U.S. at the
start of this year, the federal government said in a report Friday [8/18/2006]. That's up from an
estimated 8.5 million living in the country in January 2000, according to calculations by the Office of
Immigration Statistics in the Department of Homeland Security.
The economic truths
of immigration reform. Over the past fifteen years, according to the World Bank, China and
India have surged ahead of Mexico and the gap is widening. Mexico has gone nowhere. And until
Mexico's economic malaise is cured, millions will continue to seek economic opportunity in the United
States. Can you blame them?
More cash flows to Mexico.
Mexicans working abroad sent home a record $25 billion last year, most of it from the United States,
according to a study released Friday [2/2/2007]. The estimated figure represents a 25 percent
increase over 2005 and a nearly 80 percent surge since 2003, the Inter-American Development Bank, or
IDB, said in its report.
Latin Americans send $60B home.
Latin Americans working outside their countries will send $60 billion home this year, a 12 percent increase
over 2005, the Inter-American Development Bank said Wednesday [10/18/2006]. Bank officials who have
studied the flow of money since 2000 said the potential for the money fueling development south of the
border is limited.
Some Big Banks Enable Illegals to
Send American Money Home — Not Where It Belongs. The great majority of illegal aliens who
violate our nation's borders do so in order to earn money (illegally) and then send that money back to their
families in their countries of origin. Whether the illegal alien simply worked at a menial job without
the authority of our government or if he committed more serious violations of law by selling drugs, robbing
banks, engaging in various forms of fraud and identity theft or otherwise committing felonies the motivation
is the same, to acquire money that can be sent home, wherever "home" is.
Immigrants in Texas to send $5.2 billion
home. Latin American immigrants in Texas will send $5.2 billion back home to their relatives
this year, ranking second only to California in a state-by-state breakdown released today by the Inter-American
Development Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund. Remittances from Texas will soar by 64 percent
this year compared to in 2004, surpassing the national increase of 51 percent, the study found.
One in Seven Mexican
workers migrates — most send money home. Migration is profoundly altering Mexico and
Central America. Entire rural communities are nearly bereft of working-age men. The town of Tendeparacua,
in the Mexican state of Michoacan, had 6,000 residents in 1985, and now has 600, according to news
reports. In five Mexican states, the money migrants send home exceeds locally generated income,
one study found. Last year, Mexico received a record $20 billion in remittances from migrant
workers. That is equal to Mexico's 2004 income from oil exports and dwarfing tourism revenue.
The Senate's proposed amnesty will cost
a fortune. Congress is in the midst of the most dramatic overhaul of our nation's immigration
laws in 80 years. So why is hardly anyone is asking the basic question, How might this affect
government costs?
Report Says Migrants
Repatriated $23 Billion to Latin America, Caribbean in 2001: The
researchers estimated that $14.2 billion will go to Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala
and Honduras this year, most of that sent by U.S. immigrants. The study estimated
$18 billion would be sent to those countries in 2005.
Costly
illegals. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, the estimated 12 million
illegal immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere are costing us $10 billion a year in services. Should
these same people be given citizenship, that cost is expected to climb to $100 billion a year, since
most of them are low-paid and would be entitled to health care subsidies, welfare, etc.
Benefits off-limits
to illegals. Illegal immigrants can legitimately access a limited range of taxpayer-funded
services. Federal law and U.S. Supreme Court rulings say they're entitled to K-12 public education and
assistance in a public safety emergency. If they're poor, they're entitled to emergency medical care,
including childbirth, and legal representation if they're accused of a crime. … [However] … Illegal
immigrants are not entitled to most social services such as welfare (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families),
food stamps, public housing assistance and most Medicaid coverage.
[And that's why they use counterfeit identification.]
Illegal Students Drain
Resources While Citizens Pay, Says Reform Spokesman. An immigration reform
advocate says because of an influx of illegal aliens enrolling in North Carolina public
schools, important resources are being taken away from the dependents of American
citizens. The Hispanic advocacy group El Pueblo estimates that as many
as 1,450 illegal aliens graduated from North Carolina high schools this spring. Meanwhile,
more than $400 million is spent on programs for English as a second language and
limited English-proficient students in North Carolina schools each year.
Immigration Costs: The
National Research Council has estimated that the net fiscal cost of immigration
ranges from $11 billion to $22 billion per year, with most government expenditures on
immigrants coming from state and local coffers, while most taxes paid by
immigrants go to the federal treasury. The net deficit is caused by a
low level of tax payments by immigrants, because they are disproportionately low-skilled
and thus earn low wages, and a higher rate of consumption of government
services, both because of their relative poverty and their higher fertility.
Current Numbers: During
the 1990s, an average of more than 1.3 million immigrants — legal and illegal — settled in the United States each year. Between January
2000 and March 2002, 3.3 million additional immigrants have arrived. In less than
50 years, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that immigration will cause
the population of the United States to increase from its present 288 million
to more than 400 million.
Wages and
Poverty: Because immigration increases the supply of U.S.
labor, it reduces wages or makes jobs more scarce for natives. Job
competition between immigrants and natives is especially fierce at the
bottom of the labor market, because so many immigrants are employed in
the low-skilled/low-wage segments of the economy. When the average
American wage exceeds the average Mexican wage by a factor of ten, even
the most menial American job can be a forceful inducement to emigrate.
Population
and Environment: Since 1970, more than 68 million people
have been added to the U.S. population. This surge is especially
notable in light of the fact that Americans have been below replacement
level fertility since 1972. A majority of this growth is thus derived
from immigrants and their children.
Illegal Immigration's Financial
Impact. A large part of the problem with mass migration is that the U.S. often winds
up importing much of the world's poverty. The same argument can be made regarding the world's
criminal elements.
- Currently, one in four uninsured persons in the United States is an immigrant.
- Nearly half of immigrants either have no health insurance or have it provided by taxpayers.
- In some hospitals, almost two-thirds of operating costs are generated by illegal immigrants.
- More than half of Hispanics, the nation's largest immigrant group, are without
insurance.*
It's about time!
A Proposed Ban on Wire Transfers by Illegal
Aliens. A candidate running for a vacant congressional seat representing North San Diego county
has unveiled a plan to ban wire transfers by illegal aliens to Mexico. In a March 4 press conference
near the U.S.-Mexico border, Republican Howard Kaloogian said he believes his proposal "will remove a major
incentive for illegal immigration and increase national security."
Banks seek stake in billions sent
home. Almost 200 million migrants worldwide sent home more than $167 billion to
developing countries last year — more than twice the level of international aid — according
to the World Bank. Latin American migrants working in the United States will send home about $45 billion
this year, up from some $30 billion in 2004, according to the Washington, D.C.-based economic and social
development lender Inter-American Development Bank. Texas ranks second in the nation, behind California,
for remittances to Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Illiberal
aspects of illegal immigration rarely voiced. Billions of dollars are sent
annually back to Mexico from its citizens who come to the United States — one of
the largest sources of foreign exchange for the Mexican economy. But that cash does
not come out of thin air. If such transfers aid depressed parts of Mexico, they also
drain capital from struggling immigrant communities in the United States.
Nearly
50,000 foreigners in US prisons; mostly Mexicans. The number of foreign nationals
in US prisons grew by 15 percent over three years, said a government study, which traced
the growing US prison population.
Federal
government will pay medical bills for illegal immigrants. Health care
providers can charge the government for emergency care provided to illegal aliens
beginning Tuesday 5/10/2005].
One Mexican
in every 11 emigrates to U.S.. One in every 11 people born in Mexico and still
alive is a U.S. resident, and about half of these immigrants crossed the border illegally,
according to a comprehensive report released Tuesday [6/14/2005].
Illegals
estimated to number 18 to 20 million. Could there be 20 million illegal
aliens in the U.S. today? That's the estimate of a business analyst who has studied
the impact of the nation's underground economy.
Texas Offers
In-state Tuition for Illegal Aliens. The Washington Legal Foundation
charged that Texas is violating federal law by offering in-state college tuition
rates to illegal aliens who live in Texas, while denying those same rates to
nonresident U.S. citizens.
No Escaping a
Lawsuit. The families of seven illegal immigrants who died after being abandoned in a sealed
truck trailer while being smuggled into the United States are suing the trailer manufacturer in federal
court. Specifically, the relatives claim that the manufacturer is liable for the deaths because there
"were no warnings, instructions, decals or other means of warning of the dangers of transporting individuals
inside the trailer."
Border
Patrol grabs 1.15 million illegals in 2004. U.S. Border Patrol agents
apprehended 1.15 million illegal aliens last year trying to sneak into the
United States between the nation's land ports of entry, more than 3,100
a day — a 24 percent increase over the year before. The agents, part of U.S. Customs and
Border Protection (CBP), also made 8,577 drug seizures, confiscating 1.4 million pounds
of illegal narcotics with an estimated street value of $1.62 billion, according to the
figures released by the Department of Homeland Security.
Illegal Immigration and the
Federal Budget: This study is one of the first to estimate the total impact
of illegal immigration on the federal budget. Most previous studies have focused on
the state and local level and have examined only costs or tax payments, but not
both. Based on Census Bureau data, this study finds that, when all taxes paid
(direct and indirect) and all costs are considered, illegal households created a net
fiscal deficit at the federal level of more than $10 billion in
2002. [The authors] also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for
illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion.
Problem bears feasting on illegal entrants'
trash. At least four bears have been destroyed this summer after encroaching on humans in
southeastern Arizona, and biologists say the trash dumped by illegal immigrants is part of the problem
because it acclimates the animals to people.
The
criminal raid on Social Security: Unbelievably, the White House is trying to
convince us to embrace this global ripoff because it "rewards work." No, it rewards
criminal behavior. The plan will siphon off the hard-earned tax dollars of American
workers who may never see a dime of their confiscated earnings and fork it over to foreigners
guilty of at least four acts of federal law-breaking: crossing the border illegally,
working illegally, engaging in tax fraud and using bogus documents.
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