Illegal aliens and their dependent children cost taxpayers $100 billion annually, according to a 2010 study by FAIR. Sixteen of the 50 states spend between $1 and $20 billion every year.
Although illegal aliens pay some taxes, including state taxes on eligible purchases, the costs to federal and state governments are far greater than the taxes collected from them.
State and federal money that could be used for other public priorities or returned to taxpayers is used to fund college financial aid, healthcare, justice and law enforcement, public benefits and schooling for individuals illegally residing in the U.S.
States with higher illegal immigrant populations typically see a higher net cost. Some states bear a heavier fiscal burden than others, like states neighboring the southern border and non-border states with sanctuary city policies.
See if your state is one of the 16 to spend more than $1 billion per year on illegal aliens. Go to page 81 of our cost study or click on the map:
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Job are Growing
NYTs recently stated at $10.92/hr and 28 hour workweek averages.
This is a perfect counterpoint to an article by Mary Sanchez for the Kansas City Star. She asks: “How about acknowledging that undocumented workers are a cornerstone of the US economy and their sudden disappearance would throw our economy into chaos?”
How about acknowledging that illegals are the cornerstone of a business strategy to drive wages and benefits to nothing? If business was harmed by illegal immigration, it would be stopped tomorrow. How come in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, when illegals were a small fraction of what they are now, we had a booming economy and the middle and working classes had a far bigger share of the economic pie than they do now? And a third of the population was in unions?
We’ve barely gained any new jobs in the last decade, certainly not enough to keep with population growth, and wages have been stagnant overall since the 80s, and during that three decades since, American workers have faced a flood of legal and illegal workers. We still have many long term unemployed, those working insufficient hours, and those who were never able to find an equal paying job since the start of the great recession in 2008.
If we got rid of illegals all those carpenters, painters, construction workers, and many others put out of work by illegals accepting low wages might be paid a decent wage because business would have to pay more because they would not have option of hiring illegals.
She also needs to explain the economic benefit of the taxpayers paying welfare benefits for the US born children of illegals, who are generally low income. Los Angeles County pays out over half a billion a year for that, and it doesn’t include education. Maybe Sanchez can also explain how 10 illegals living in a 2 bedroom apt and sending most of their money back to Mexico benefits us. But she’s too busy portraying everyone as racist who doesn’t fall in line with all the propaganda and cliches.