Free Republic

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether to count self-identified illegal immigrants in the 2020 census. Cities worry adding the citizenship question could undercount 6.5 million people. Their argument, however, isn't just about political power but billions of dollars in federal funds states expect. The case underscores what experts say is a growing cost to taxpayers from the surge of Central American families and unaccompanied minors. "We're talking about billions of dollars in taxpayer benefits over the next few years," said Dan Stein, director of the right-leaning think tank, Federation for American Immigration Reform. "The payout for the taxpayer...

As minimum wage goes up poor people lose government benefits. If the minimum wage goes from $7.25 to $11.50, the woman in the story gains $735 in wage income, but loses $827 in government benefits, so she's actually worse off. The obvious solution: work fewer hours at the higher wage, so that you don't lose your benefits.

State agency's website offers Klingon translation Even bureaucracy can't be satirized these days (MCT) If you wanted to ask an Illinois Department of Employment Security professional how to appeal a denied claim — in Klingon — you would say: vaj tem DoQ, chay' Qu' appeal? That means, if my claim is denied, how do I appeal? You can learn how to ask many questions in Klingon — an unofficial language created for humanoid characters in the "Star Trek" television series and movies — on the IDES website. The site offers translations via Microsoft Translator. The current options are Spanish, Polish,...