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Why is the cost of illegal immigration ignored in debt ceiling debate?


Gooner
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No matter what side of the fence you sit on, you have to look and this and say "what the F***". If you are going to start cutting back, start with what should not be going out in the first place!:eek:

Why Is Cost of Illegal Immigration Ignored In Debt Ceiling Debate?

By Bob Dane

Published July 18, 2011 | FoxNews.com

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While the debt ceiling debate rages and Congress is busy haggling over who should be taxed and what programs should be slashed, they’ve promised to consider all options except…one.

Lawmakers have chosen to forget that immigration is a discretionary social policy that by definition is designed to be adjusted to serve the nation’s broad national interest, particularly during difficult economic times. This discretionary policy is a powerful economic tool, but only if it is brought out and used.

No comprehensive financial fix can be complete without Congress demanding increased enforcement against illegal immigration and reducing legal immigration to sustainable levels.

Reforming immigration would tighten the labor market, open up jobs for legal U.S. residents, and reduce the overall fiscal strain that immigration imposes on health care, education and other social services.

Doing so is an urgent mandate and a legitimate, justified use of policy.

If not now, then when?

Here are four ways that Congress could get to work… now!

1. Increase Enforcement and Reduce Costs

American taxpayers spend $113 billion annually subsidizing illegal immigration and padding the pockets of businesses addicted to cheap labor. Taxpayers at the state and local levels bear the brunt, providing $84 billion in services annually while the federal government spends $29 billion. The latter figure is – incidentally -- almost exactly equal to the interest payment on the total federal debt this past April. Of course, the debt continues to grow uncontrollably because the government must borrow to keep up with, among other things, the growing cost of illegal immigration.

In some states, reducing the fiscal burden of illegal immigration would represent nothing short of an economic miracle:

- California’s budget deficit is $28 billion yet the state spends $21.8 billion subsidizing illegal immigration, or 75% of their total deficit.

- Massachusetts could almost clear their books by ending illegal alien subsidies; the state’s deficit is $2 billion while their annual cost of illegal immigration is $1.86 billion.

- Maryland and New York would enjoy much needed surpluses; those state’s expenditures on illegal immigration actually exceed their deficits!

The savings can’t be realized overnight because much of the expense is mandated by law requiring the education of the children of illegal aliens, many of whom are U.S. born, and for emergency medical treatment. But it is a responsible step in the right direction.

Reducing these costs requires the administration to actually enforce existing immigration laws, complete border fencing, allow states to participate in the enforcement process, and otherwise deny benefits and incentives to illegal aliens.

2. Pass E-Verify and Create Jobs for Americans

Unemployment is at its highest level in 27 years, yet illegal aliens continue to stream in seeking jobs. While 25 million Americans are either looking for work, underemployed or have become discouraged and given up, 7 million jobs are occupied by illegal aliens.

Passing H.R. 2164 would make E-Verify mandatory in all 50 states and would ensure that future workers are legal workers. Passing the Senate version (S.1196) would require that existing employees are also checked for legal status, thereby opening up many of the 7 million jobs held by illegal aliens. In an economy that added an anemic 18,000 jobs last months, allowing American workers to fill existing ones is essential.

Moreover, when jobs are denied to illegal aliens, wages increase to attract legal workers and taxes are paid – not just by a few but by all and Uncle Sam is happy.

3. Reduce Legal Immigration – Time Out

After more than 40 years of sustained high levels of immigration, America needs a time out on legal immigration while we formulate new policies that reflect the realities of the 21st century.

Fewer than 6 percent of legal immigrants were admitted because they possessed skills deemed essential to the U.S. economy. Most are admitted because of family ties to earlier immigrants, many of whom are living in poverty or near poverty.

As a result, immigration bloats an already-existing surplus of low-skilled workers, increasing job competition and driving down wages for American workers.

4. Immigration Policy Is Economic Policy

What once was can no longer be. While the U.S. is exporting jobs overseas it continues to import millions of low-skilled and government-subsidized legal immigrants. Laws are not being enforced against the estimated 13 million illegal immigrants already here.

In addition, hundreds of thousands of additional foreign guest workers are admitted each year to accommodate the demands of business interests that simply prefer to hire foreign workers over local legal U.S. residents.

If lawmakers are sincere about putting all options on the table to fix our mounting fiscal crisis, they must acknowledge the need to reform immigration. Enforcing laws against illegal immigration, reducing flows of legal immigration to more sensible levels, and ending foreign guest worker programs would open up jobs for Americans, increase wages, and reduce taxpayer burdens by the billions at a time when we need it the most.

Bob Dane is Communications Director for FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform. Kristen Williamson is Communications Assistant for FAIR.

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What makes me sick is the fact that illegal aliens apply for and recieve food stamps, medicad, and unemployment benifits. But I got layed off when a company shut down a facility that turn a 4 million dollar profit last year, and am currently adding $400 to my unemployment checks just to cover the cost of our insurance. And yet the state of Ohio is also trying to push me (and some former co-workers) to take jobs that pay $5 less than what we where getting paid and have to drive nearly 1 1/2 hours away. I don't know anyone that could afford to do that with that big of a pay cut. Sorry to vent but just telling my experiences in the last couple of months.

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What makes me sick is the fact that illegal aliens apply for and recieve food stamps, medicad, and unemployment benifits. But I got layed off when a company shut down a facility that turn a 4 million dollar profit last year, and am currently adding $400 to my unemployment checks just to cover the cost of our insurance. And yet the state of Ohio is also trying to push me (and some former co-workers) to take jobs that pay $5 less than what we where getting paid and have to drive nearly 1 1/2 hours away. I don't know anyone that could afford to do that with that big of a pay cut. Sorry to vent but just telling my experiences in the last couple of months.

What do illegals have anything to do w/ the big corporation with mega-profit laying you off?

If the State is pushing you to take a job with a paycut, what do you think they're doing to most others on social assistance (assuming their capable)?

Also, why won't you take that job... I mean, it's work right? It may be a paycut but it's better than being on state assistance right? Or would you prefer to just sit and collect a check for nothing like the illegals that are being bashed in this thread... :dunno:

Yea, I know you're venting, but in the grand scheme, 'illegals' aren't breaking the bank like the wars in the Middle East and tax cuts for the "job creators" (we're not allowed to call them 'rich' or 'wealthy' anymore dontchaknow). :rolleyes: So, take solace in the fact that the CEO where you used to work got to keep your and your coworkers salaries as a tax cut for creating those jobs, even if you don't have them anymore.

Edited by JRMMiii
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Yea, I know you're venting, but in the grand scheme, 'illegals' aren't breaking the bank like the wars in the Middle East and tax cuts for the "job creators" (we're not allowed to call them 'rich' or 'wealthy' anymore dontchaknow). :rolleyes:

exactly. want to save money? stop wasting it in iraq.

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Trust me I hate sitting around the house but its hard to justify paying $100 a week in gas to drive to a job where I only bring home $250. My point is paying all this money out to people who are not here legally, and don't pay taxes, but are eligible for more benefits than the people who have payed into these assistance programs.

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Who would the farmers employee if there were no illegals.

No one, Georgia passed a law banning farmers from using undocumented workers, their crops then tended to rot in the field after they couldn't get anyone to harvest them.

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Same reason when thay talk about creating jobs and preventing outsourcing they "forget" to mention NAFTA (The giant job killing, middle class shrinking, 3rd world helping, elephant in the room). Knowing how to fix a problem and actually wanting to do it are two different things.

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Illegal immigration is illegal although not on the scale of an illegal war. But it does amount to $billions$ being burned up nationwide and all of us 'legals' are paying their way. Immigrants = votes and when our dear govt screws with their families (illegals) then tend to not vote for that particular candidate/party.

It all comes down to votes as is the norm with the slime in Washington.

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It is simple, equal percentage income tax for everybody, cut back govt spending, illegals get nothing...period and drug tests for all welfare and unemployment. Problem fucking solved. No tax cuts for anyone and it is unnecessary for income tax returns at this point in time.

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It is simple, equal percentage income tax for everybody

so the people who are getting paid under the table or making money from illegal means never have to pay...

what we need is a national sales tax or something like that. EVERYONE buys stuff. it doesnt matter if you get a legit paycheck or get your money from selling crack, you still buy stuff. that way EVERYONE pays.

there are pros and cons to this system, just like everything else. nothing is perfect.

drug tests for all welfare and unemployment.

alcohol and tobacco too right? :rolleyes:

first of all, this was already tried and has been ruled unconstitutional.

second, this spends more money than its worth.

i know people have this stereotype in their mind that everyone on welfare is doing drugs, and stay on welfare forever but its simply not true.

drug use rates among people on welfare are the same as the general population. about 3%. add to that the fact that 70% of drug users actually have full time jobs, and you can see that its just not adding up.

when michigan tried it, out of like ~280 people tested THREE were positive. sure sounds like an epidemic of mass proportions.

you are going to spend more on drug testing all the people than you are going to save by kicking the few off that test positive.

the politicians KNOW that people have this stereotype in their head and are ignorant to the real facts, so they use it for political capital.

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