How much in welfare do illegal immigrants cost the USA?

Question

gokart121- Well said, my friend, I agree.
Finally, an intelligent answer.

Cher- If those figures are from a few years ago, they are higher now. Thanks for the info.

Answer 1

Cost of Welfare FOR illegals


The High Cost of Cheap Labor
Illegal Immigration and the Federal Budget

Executive Summary


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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. We also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion.

Among the findings:

Households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government in 2002 and paid only $16 billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal deficit of almost $10.4 billion, or $2,700 per illegal household.


Among the largest costs are Medicaid ($2.5 billion); treatment for the uninsured ($2.2 billion); food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches ($1.9 billion); the federal prison and court systems ($1.6 billion); and federal aid to schools ($1.4 billion).


With nearly two-thirds of illegal aliens lacking a high school degree, the primary reason they create a fiscal deficit is their low education levels and resulting low incomes and tax payments, not their legal status or heavy use of most social services.


On average, the costs that illegal households impose on federal coffers are less than half that of other households, but their tax payments are only one-fourth that of other households.


Many of the costs associated with illegals are due to their American-born children, who are awarded U.S. citizenship at birth. Thus, greater efforts at barring illegals from federal programs will not reduce costs because their citizen children can continue to access them.


If illegal aliens were given amnesty and began to pay taxes and use services like households headed by legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual net fiscal DEFICIT would INCREASE from $2,700 per household to nearly $7,700, for a total net cost of $29 BILLION.

Costs increase dramatically because unskilled immigrants with legal status -- what most illegal aliens would become -- can access government programs, but still tend to make very modest tax payments.


Although legalization would increase average tax payments by 77 percent, average costs would rise by 118 percent.


The fact that LEGAL immigrants with few years of schooling are a large fiscal drain does not mean that legal immigrants overall are a net drain -- many legal immigrants are highly skilled.


The vast majority of illegals hold jobs. Thus the fiscal deficit they create for the federal government is not the result of an unwillingness to work.


The results of this study are consistent with a 1997 study by the National Research Council, which also found that immigrants' education level is a key determinant of their fiscal impact

My note: These figures were from several years ago, it is worse now. The Federal Government does not know how much more these criminals make under the table (cash). So they don't figure that into these equations. Many do not report all their earnings in order to remain in the low income bracket and still be eligible for the tax paid services legal immigrants and legal USA citizens pay for. Also, they do not KNOW how many are in this country ILLEGALLY. No one documented WHEN they came here, many are here that are keeping a low profile.

Answer 2

In dollars it is fairly easy to determine by the assumption of how many are using welfare. The economic costs are debatable because their contribution as a group to the economy may very well exceed the burden in welfare expenses.

This recalls Proposition 187 in California. At that time, the state budget was running a $2 billion deficit - equal to the approximate social spending on illegal immigrants. 187 was suppose to eliminate the deficit by denying state social spending to that group. It passed, but the SCOTUS judged that most of the content of the proposition was illegal because illegal immigrant status was the prerogative of the federal government.

Answer 3

In this area (where $10/hour is a good wage), illegals get paid $17/hour to frame houses. You can't find a construction site where the crew isn't 90 - 100% illegals. The owners pay them cash and don't have to worry with the paperwork or benefits costs that they would have with legal employees. The illegals still get food stamps, welfare, housing assistance and free medical because they lie and say they have no income.

Answer 4

Billions and
billions and billions. Aid, food stamps, medical, housing, wick, lawyers (free because they don't read or write English), work programs, child care, schools , free lunches,the list of open programs goes on and on. Than there are private charities-Salvation Army, Catholics and others.
Now many programs and charities are running out of funds. Hospitals are closings. Schools can not keep up (see school board on Oprah's web) . It affects everyone. And what we have already put out-has put as in big time debt-you will see it in future its hiding now.
Many here are not eligible for many programs-foreigners get extra points (had a purpose to begin with). and many of our poor have been kicked right out of help. Understand the people might not mean too-its just the results.
No more money-we need to stop giving what we don't have away to others. And start taking care of those here. And start thinking about our land. And start looking ahead a bit.

Answer 5

The exact dollar amount is irrelevant compared to the question of WHY the United STATES is expected to provide all this support for mexican citizens.

Our immigration system is a HUGE mess. The way to fix that mess is to focus on how to help mexicans find their way home so that our social services, infrastructure, and legal system can be unloaded. Mexico needs to be a better border partner, and if they won't be a good border partner, then our side of the border needs to reflect that with physical improvements that will result in a marked decrease in the number of mexicans(AND other illegal aliens, to be fair) wandering around just doing whatever with little or no INS oversight.

I think there's a public finance issue, and a public safety issue, public education, public healthcare, the whole show. The answer, unfortunately, is to ask a lot of folks to go home.
It'd be nice if we could grant amnesty, but we can't afford it.
It'd be nice if we could throw the gates wide, but we can't risk it.
It'd be nice if Mexico took their people back willingly when they screw up in america, but they don't.
It'd be really cool if our economy was better, and could support an endless stream of people flowing in from around the world 24/7, but it isn't.
What we've got now is a mess, and until and unless it gets cleaned up, immigration enforcement's the answer. Mexico and other countries need to respect that, and not allow so many people to stream into the US. Growth is all good and fine, but a mad bum's rush will see more emnity and discontent, less harmony, more frictions, more poverty, hence more crime, and ultimately the slow destruction of what quality of life there still is to be had in our 50 states. With more people, legal or otherwise, comes more demand for social services. Seemingly, the country of Mexico has made quite a study of both these services as well as our political system(without adopting it themselves, curiously),
with an eye toward seeking the maximum benefit for their citizens at taxpayer expense.

Ultimately, taxpayers pay for the roads, the street lights, the government, the police department, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, all of these wonderful things AND more, and we'll end up paying for the border fence and Border Patrol as well. So, the question for pro-immigration advocates is, 'how much are you willing to pay'? And, what kind of community standards are you willing to tolerate, breaking laws is not a great way to start your sojourn in a new country, and then there's always the other angles, the attitude, the whole show...all of these place 'costs' be they countable or not, on the american social fabric, too. Squashing things like drug-related gun battles,
gangs, spiraling taxes that grow due to free-range demographics changes, all these things are correctable by voting at the polls, writing your representatives, newspaper, city council, heck, write
to the dog-catcher, get him involved. Talk to your neighbors,
talk to your friends, get a good consensus of what the solution should be, and forward it to your city/council/state/national representatives.

We know countries like Mexico have less resources than America does. We also know that our national debt is climbing by the week. There is a connection between discussions of benefits and entitlements and domestic policy and the budget.
At some point, the numbers don't wash anymore, and the government, the duly elected and appointed agent of the Public, is asked to act. In this instance, the action people are requesting is that the government use its' agencies to effectively reduce and reverse some of the negative trends that have taken place in our dealings with Mexico. People see what's happened, in some cases happened to their entire communities, and the results haven't been positive in many cases. So, what's next? Excuses?
Hyperbole? Or meaningful, well-planned actions to prevent countries like Mexico from continuing to take advantage of our country in a hostile fashion? What kind of representation do we really have, do they still talk to their voters, or has this all become more of a one-way conversation similar to 'this is what's going to happen, and you'll LIKE it' etc.

Personally I oppose representing the cap on public assistance funds with the oo(infinity) sign. I support working on a better idea of working with Mexico to see them go through their reforms,
so that they're ultimately able to support their own people, instead of expecting america to pick up their slack. Integration is one thing, dis-integration from overload is something else...

Answer 6

Take, for example, an illegal Mexican who sneaks in here with his wife and five children.
He takes a job for five or six dollars an hour.
At that wage with six dependents he pays no income tax, yet at the end of the year if he files income tax he gets an "earned income credit" of up to $3,200 free.

He qualifies for Section 8 housing and subsidized rent,
He qualifies for food stamps.
He qualifies for free (no deductible, no co-pay) health care.
His children get free breakfasts and lunches at school.
He requires bilingual teachers and books.
He qualifies for relief from high energy bills.
If they are or become, aged, blind or disabled they qualify for SSI.
Once qualified for SSI they can qualify for medicare.

All of this is at that taxpayers expense.
He doesn't have to worry about car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance.
Taxpayers provide Spanish language signs, bulletins and printed material.
He cannot be fired, harassed, or sued.

He and his family receive the equivalent of $20 to $30 an hour in benefits.

Answer 7

You are way to ignorants my friend.. which immigrants are you alludingto mexicans illegals or immigrants?

for one immigrants pay taxes.. and mexicans illegals are already over taxed with "slavery"at the handsof the corporate world. The problem of illegals are directly caused by NAFTA being imposed on Mexican and latinos down south.

Corporation pays less t and less taxes in the US,on top it is responsible of billions and billions of taxes fraud too. That money by all means SURPASSES in amounts whatever tax you claim illegal cost you..WHY don'tyou go after CORPORATE FRAUD instead of gooing after the poorest element of society ?

Answer 8

I have seen the statistics, and it is high, as is the cost for health care which is measured not only in dollars but in closure of hospitals that are required to but cannot afford to provide free emergency health care.

However, the highest number is for education. It costs $18,000 to educate a child for one year in California, and more if it is bilingual education. Meanwhile bilingual programs slow education for other students, as well as draining needed resources from our overcrowded and underfunded schools. Their better life isn't only measured in money, it is costing our children the upward mobility through education that this country has always prided itself upon.

Cheratsilvgi - your education numbers only reflect the federal funding. Schools are primarily funded at the school and local level.

Answer 9

they cost us a lot of money specially the illegal mexicans. the illegal mexicans have no fear and shame they would take unworthy benefits and free healthcare. the other illegals (non-mexicans) are too afraid to take $ from the US government for fear of being exposed. the mexicans are the ones costing us the most money.

ps. they can call me a racist...i don't care.

Answer 10

They cost too friggin much to the US-welfare, health insurance, car insurance, putting our hospitals out of business, taking up our jail and prison room, anything we have to pay for people here illegally is too much