October 29, 2006

Robert Rector: "Importing Poverty"

Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation has a long article entitled "Importing Poverty". Here's just one paragraph, read the rest for much, much more:

[...] ...the roughly six million legal immigrants without a high school diploma will impose a net cost of around a half-trillion dollars on U.S. taxpayers over their lifetimes. The roughly five million illegal immigrants without a high school diploma will cost taxpayers somewhat less because illegal immigrants are eligible for fewer government benefits. However, if these illegal immigrants were granted amnesty and citizenship, as proposed by the Bush Administration and legislated in a recent Senate-passed immigration bill (S. 2611), they could cost taxpayers an additional half-trillion dollars. In total, all immigrants without a high school education could impose a net cost on U.S. taxpayers of around one trillion dollars or more. If the cost of educating the immigrants' children is included, that figure could reach two trillion dollars... [...]

Posted to Immigration at October 29, 2006 11:47 AM

Comments

Note that legal immigration is also a problem:

the roughly six million legal immigrants without a high school diploma will impose a net cost of around a half-trillion dollars on U.S. taxpayers over their lifetimes.

Most of this is due to family reunification, and will only worsen with amnesty and/or guestworkers, a large number of whom will no doubt also be un- or low-skilled.

Posted by: eh at October 29, 2006 12:35 PM