Tipsheet

Congressional Study Stresses Importance of Immigration Enforcement

Speaking of immigration reform, a new congressional study out today is demonstrating what many of us have been saying for years: illegal immigration and lack of enforcement means serious cost burdens for the country. 

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study, undocumented immigrants sap more in tax dollars than they provide, especially in the areas of education, health care and law enforcement. 

The report says that in 1990, 90 percent of undocumented immigrants primarily were in six states: California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

By 2004, undocumented immigrants had increased tenfold in other states, most notably Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee, according to statistics from the Pew Hispanic Center.

The report estimates there are 12 million undocumented immigrants nationwide. Of those, 60 percent are uninsured and 50 percent of the children are uninsured. Again using 2004 statistics from the Pew Hispanic Center the average income of undocumented immigrants was $27,400 while Americans earned $47,800. The difference puts undocumented immigrants in a lower tax bracket, thus reducing the amount of federal and state income taxes generated.

And since Democrats' compromise on health care reform means no federal subsidies for illegal immigrants, they will undoubtedly work to get these "undocumented" workers documented before Obamacare's major provisions are enacted.