There’s a common liberal myth that illegal immigrants are ineligible for federal welfare because they’re not U.S. citizens – and there’s some truth to the matter. But it ignores the very real costs that illegals impose on our society. For one, suppose we have a household composed of mainly illegal immigrants, but it has a non-illegal head of household who receives benefits, claiming the others as dependents.
In fact, an Associated Press headline back from June confirms as much: “Fear of deportation drives people off food stamps in US.” The article claims that “A crackdown on illegal immigration under President Donald Trump has driven some poor people to take a drastic step: opt out of federal food assistance because they are fearful of deportation, activists and immigrants say.”
So, what would illegals have to fear if they couldn’t receive benefits in the first place?
Welfare benefits are, of course, only one of the many ways illegal immigrants put a burden on the American taxpayer. Of all federal outlays on illegal immigrants, 27 percent are devoted towards “administration of justice,” while 21 percent are medical, and 29 percent are for “general expenditures.” Only 16 percent of costs are public assistance.
Plus, when illegal immigrants have children here, they become legal citizens. They’re then entitled to an even larger array of benefits (including free K-12 education). The total cost of illegal immigration is $113 billion a year at the federal, state, and local level, but the vast majority of the costs ($84 billion) are paid by state and local governments, according to one study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
But that’s just the cost of benefits received. What about the opportunity cost of illegals working and not paying taxes that would otherwise be paid by a legal American worker? A heck of a lot according to a brand new study:
Tax credits received by illegal immigrants and wage write-offs U.S companies claim in their illegal employment costs the Treasury $296 billion over 10 years, according to a new report that is urging Congress to crackdown on the loopholes.
Annually, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, the lost taxes bill is about $30 billion, enough to fund the average middle income tax cut the Trump administration is considering, about $300.
That comes on top of wage losses to legal workers of $118 billion when companies illegally hire undocumented aliens, said CIS.
I’ll take this time to remind everyone that enforcing immigration laws is something every nation does – it’s hardly a “racist” policy enacted by mean ol’ America. Mexico has a problem with illegal immigration from Central America. And guess what?
They deport more Central American illegal immigrants than the U.S.
Funny that.
Share this story with others to show them the true cost of illegal immigration!
Samual Adams reply to Marilyn September 5Th.2017
You were correct when you said that America “needs a border wall and stricter immigration laws…..” But until those in elected office start listening to the American citizens instead of looking out for their own vested interests we will continue to be stuck with aliens flooding across our borders and paying with our tax moneys for their welfare.
Enough to fund the wall.
The presence of Illegal immigrants, working amid citizens and aliens who have gone through the process and are legal, causes frustration and anger. Both of which are harmful to all the workers in the workplace, interfere with productivity and can lead to harardous working conditions.
The FIRST thing we need to do is change the law so that a person born here to a parent who is not here legally would have citizenship in the mother’s country, NOT IN THE US. That would immediately slow illegal immigration by about 90%. Then make a plan for migrant workers who could work here for a part of each year, but would be required to return to their country of origin for most of the year.
Yes, Democrats want them here so they can vote Democrat, and make it easier for them to do so, illegally, by fighting any attempt to require ID to vote, and Republicans want them here so they can hire cheap labor, and avoid paying taxes by paying them in cash. Doesn’t leave us much chance of either preventing them from coming in, or deporting them if they are identified.
personally, i think it’s much more then what they are showing!!!
So in other words, big business makes bank while we taxpayers pick up the cost for illegals social services, nice.
Please look at my post on the article about the border wall & you will see some interesting facts the Los Angeles Times reported on previously. A friend sent it to me today so I posted it. Staggering results about illegal immigrants!
I Find it very irradiating and offensive when I see Mexicans and other minorities in a grocery store whipping out a plastic ( Links card, ) when it comes time to pay for their groceries and I who worked all of my life have to pay for my groceries with my own money. What special dispensation has been granted to them by government and why was it granted to them, has their very presence benefited American society to such a degree that other Americans should gladly pay for their every need out of our taxes. that the government exacts from the rest of us.
This is exactly why we need a border wall & stricter immigration laws. I for one am sick of paying hard earned taxpayer dollars to help immigrants instead of helping the poor, unemployed & poverty stricken native born citizens of this country. Go Trump!
Samual Adams reply to Marilyn September 5Th.2017
You were correct when you said that America “needs a border wall and stricter immigration laws…..” But until those in elected office start listening to the American citizens instead of looking out for their own vested interests we will continue to be stuck with aliens flooding across our borders and paying with our tax moneys for their welfare.
Enough to fund the wall.
The presence of Illegal immigrants, working amid citizens and aliens who have gone through the process and are legal, causes frustration and anger. Both of which are harmful to all the workers in the workplace, interfere with productivity and can lead to harardous working conditions.
The FIRST thing we need to do is change the law so that a person born here to a parent who is not here legally would have citizenship in the mother’s country, NOT IN THE US. That would immediately slow illegal immigration by about 90%. Then make a plan for migrant workers who could work here for a part of each year, but would be required to return to their country of origin for most of the year.
Yes, Democrats want them here so they can vote Democrat, and make it easier for them to do so, illegally, by fighting any attempt to require ID to vote, and Republicans want them here so they can hire cheap labor, and avoid paying taxes by paying them in cash. Doesn’t leave us much chance of either preventing them from coming in, or deporting them if they are identified.
personally, i think it’s much more then what they are showing!!!
So in other words, big business makes bank while we taxpayers pick up the cost for illegals social services, nice.
Please look at my post on the article about the border wall & you will see some interesting facts the Los Angeles Times reported on previously. A friend sent it to me today so I posted it. Staggering results about illegal immigrants!
This is exactly why we need a border wall & stricter immigration laws. I for one am sick of paying hard earned taxpayer dollars to help immigrants instead of helping the poor, unemployed & poverty stricken native born citizens of this country. Go Trump!
I Find it very irradiating and offensive when I see Mexicans and other minorities in a grocery store whipping out a plastic ( Links card, ) when it comes time to pay for their groceries and I who worked all of my life have to pay for my groceries with my own money. What special dispensation has been granted to them by government and why was it granted to them, has their very presence benefited American society to such a degree that other Americans should gladly pay for their every need out of our taxes. that the government exacts from the rest of us.