“Some proponents of comprehensive immigration reform (including amnesty) are trying to find support for their position in Heritage Foundation papers from long ago. In the first paper they point to, from March 2006, Heritage rejected amnesty but also considered the economic effects of immigration. Since that time, there are two major differences to consider. First and most importantly, at that time, Heritage had not yet done its own analysis of fiscal costs. But Heritage did just that in 2007, and today we released an updated study. The new study by Heritage fills the gap on the cost and estimates that the cost for amnesty and unlawful immigration is $6.3 trillion. Amnesty and a rush to an immigration bill that increases costs on taxpayers would be folly,” notes the Heritage Foundation in a blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Some want to assume the fiscal costs of amnesty can be swamped by economic growth. But the central economic test for immigration reform is whether it makes those who are legally in the country better off, not whether immigration or immigration reform increases the size of the economy. Of course, net immigration increases output and national income. But whose after-tax income is then increased? If not those in the country legally, then amnesty fails the test.”<\/p>\n “Rubio knows he cannot persuade the Griffins and voters like them to consider the immigration reform he has proposed with a bipartisan Senate group. He does not even try. At this stop in Port St. Lucie, one of several he made while home on a weeklong recess, the senator bypassed the protesters. He headed straight into a rented hall at the maroon- and mauve-striped Polish American Social Club filled with the party faithful, who were curious \u2014 and largely uncertain \u2014 about the 844-page bill,” the LA Times says<\/a>.<\/p>\n “These Republicans are the ones Rubio, the GOP’s fastest-ascending presidential hopeful, must convince that overhauling the nation’s immigration laws would be good for the nation. The catch, for many, is that the bill allows the estimated 11 million people in the country without legal status to stay and, eventually, to become citizens.” Rubio Tries to Sell Amnesty to GOP<\/h3>\n