The Cost of Amnesty

The most common defense of amnesty for illegal immigrants is the cost of deporting 11 million people. One research organization, the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank in Washington claims it will cost $215 billion and take five years to accomplish. They make no claim as to the cost of illegal immigrants staying here. The S&P estimates that illegal immigrants cost twice the amount of incidental tax they contribute. That figure is generally accepted at $10 billion. If amnesty were granted the cost would increase because of the availability of social services and earned income credits from income taxes.

All of this is beside the point. There is a very efficient system of removing illegals and preventing further violations. If the reasons for coming here disappear or become too costly to acquire, the illegal immigrant will leave. Building a secure border and placing large sanctions on employers of illegals will go a long way to making the management of those left much easier. With fewer dollars coming from the US, Mexico will have to take the difficult but necessary measures to fix its own economy. The hurdle in achieving this is the resistance of politicians both here and in Mexico who see the illegal immigrant as a politician base of support come election time.