The Economic Impact of Illegal Immigration on State/Local Budgets
Submitted by chrislee35 on Fri, 2007-12-07 23:50.
Economics
Peter R. Orszag, the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), has recently begun blogging. On the 6th, he summarized the results of a CBO study of the economic effects of "unauthorized" immigration [PDF]. I have not read the study as of yet to determine exactly what that means and how things where measured [1], but the overall findings is that it is slightly positive economically[2], although a hardship on on local and state government budgets[3].
In the spirit of freedom, personal responsibility, and scalable society, I would argue that even if illegal immigration is extremely positive for our economy, that it doesn't justify the breaking of laws, weakening of sovereignty, and the hardships that even a sizable minority law abiding citizens must endure, specifically in their schools, hospitals, and crime. For these reasons, we need to press upon our 'representatives' the need for sensible immigration reform that rewards those who go the proper route, punishes those who cheat, builds up societies and not bedlams. I foresee extreme consequences with conflicts of cultures down the road if this problem is inadequately addressed [4].
Our friends to the South are a proud and wonderful people, but we are seeing much of their worst side due to the misalignment of incentives, rewards, and risks.
[1] The first paragraph of the document states: "It is important to note, though, that currently available estimates have significant limitations; therefore, using them to determine an aggregate effect across all states would be difficult and prone to considerable error."
[2] The first paragraph of the document states: "...tax revenues of all types generated by immigrants--both legal and unauthorized--exceed the cose of the services they use."
[3] The first paragraph of the document states: "However, many estimates also show that the cost of providing public services to unauthorized immigrates at the state and local levels exceeds what that population pays in state and local taxes."
[4] CNN: Rallies across U.S. call for illegal immigrant rights
Too late
All illegal aliens are, by definition, criminals. Illegal aliens represent 29 percent of federal prison inmates, a grossly disproportionate representation of the population at large. Upwards of 40 percent of illegal aliens are violent criminals. They are responsible for most of the gang activity in Gwinnett County, for example. When such criminal activity is factored in, I really don't see how they are not an economic drain at all levels.
When we have between 12 and 38 million illegal aliens in our country, depending upon whom you believe, that's not just illegal immigration, but illegal migration or invasion. No country's culture or infrastructure can withstand that kind of onslaught, which is exactly what the petty dictatorships of Central and South America want (not to mention the countless other enemies we have): the destruction of the American way of life.
All of this doesn't even factor in the destruction of that which made America economically great: the free market, self-determination, and innovation. When the vast majority of these invaders suckle at the government education teat, promote socialism, and abdicate personal responsibility, they dismantle those things which led to our economic greatness. In the long term, illegal migration will destroy America as we've known her; and at this point, I don't think that process can be reversed even if borders were controlled today and all illegals were deported tomorrow.