The Cost of Illegal Immigration: A $150.7 Billion Burden on U.S. Taxpayers
A recent surge in border crossings has highlighted a long-standing issue facing the United States, with President Joe Biden’s administration under scrutiny for its handling of immigration policies.
According to a report by the Committee on the Judiciary and Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, over 3.3 million illegal immigrants have been released into the U.S. since President Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, costing taxpayers billions at both the federal and state levels.
The study, issued by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), estimates that the annual cost of illegal immigration to be $150.7 billion, with the majority of this burden falling on U.S. taxpayers. To put this figure into perspective, it is more than the combined GDP of several states, including Mississippi, New Mexico, Idaho, and Wyoming.
The FAIR study breaks down the estimated costs as follows:
– Emergency medical care: $1.3 billion
– Incarceration in local jails: $2.5 billion
– Welfare payments: $10.8 billion
– Other costs (education, social services, etc.): $135.7 billion
The study also notes that these costs are offset by an estimated $32 billion in tax contributions made by illegal immigrants, resulting in a net annual cost of $150.7 billion.
Individually, the FAIR study estimates that each illegal alien or their U.S.-born child costs the U.S. approximately $8,776 annually. When factoring in taxes paid by illegal aliens, this number drops to around $957 per year for each American taxpayer.
The Committee on the Judiciary and Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement also reports that since President Biden’s inauguration, nearly 6 million illegal alien encounters have occurred, with over 617,607 non-detained aliens with criminal records present in U.S. communities.
This growing trend has led to increased tensions between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Biden administration, particularly over border control strategies. The Lone Star operation, launched by Governor Abbott in 2021, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of migrant apprehensions and drug seizures, highlighting the need for effective border management.
The issue of illegal immigration remains a pressing concern for U.S. taxpayers, with estimates suggesting that the burden will only continue to grow unless policies are implemented to address this issue.
Source: News Week
