After 10 Years, Illegal-Alien Amnesty Costs $78 Billion
WASHINGTON (May 5, 1997) ‹ Ten years ago today, the amnesty for illegal aliens passed by Congress in the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) began. More than 2.7 million illegal aliens received legal status as a result of the amnesty.
The Center for Immigration Studies released a report today estimating the total cost of the amnesty to federal, state and local governments. The report, entitled "Measuring the Fallout: The Cost of the IRCA Amnesty After 10 Years," pegs the total cost at $78.7 billion over the past 10 years. Other findings of the report, authored by Center Chairman David Simcox, are:
- The total direct fiscal cost of the amnesty was $24.1 billion, representing $102.1 billion in government services offset by $78 billion in taxes paid over the past ten years.
- Various indirect costs ‹ including services for American workers displaced by the amnesty recipients and education and other services provided to the children of amnesty recipients ‹ totaled $54.6 billion over the past decade.
- The total fiscal cost of $78.7 billion represents a government subsidy of $29,148 for each illegal alien who received amnesty.
Unfortunately, the alternative would be much more costly, monetarily and otherwise.