The Cost of Compassion: Amnestied Illegals Will Cost Taxpayers More Than Half a Million Per Househould, in Average Lifetime Government Benefits

$6.3 trillion in full.

Quick, let's pass it before they yank this golden opportunity away from us.

The comprehensive immigration overhaul being taken up in the Senate this week could cost taxpayers $6.3 trillion if 11 million illegal immigrants are granted legal status, according to a long-awaited estimate by the conservative Heritage Foundation.

The cost would arise from illegal immigrants tapping into the government's vast network of benefits and services, many of which are currently unavailable to them. This includes everything from standard benefits like Social Security and Medicare to dozens of welfare programs ranging from housing assistance to food stamps.

The study may include some arguable expenses (such as highway building for extra traffic). But...

...

But most of that cost would be new spending, according to Heritage, as illegal immigrants gain access to additional government programs. The study acknowledges that, for a 10-year period, illegal immigrants seeking a reprieve would be barred from these benefits. After that window, though, Heritage forecasts the costs skyrocketing.

On an annual basis, the report estimates the cost will be $106 billion after the interim phase is over. In the course of their lifetime, the report estimates that illegal immigrant households would receive an average of $592,000 in government benefits.

The bill is just chock full of bullshit intended to mislead the public. Supposedly, according to the law, those immigrants who don't pay fines and back taxes will be deported.

Does anyone believe this? No, of course not; if this were true, the Amnestias would be fighting tooth and nail. But they know it's not going to happen. So there will be two cohorts of illegals, those who pay the requisite fines and get amnesty, and those who continue to "hide in the shadows," same as they do now.

Does anyone think Step Two won't be "Hey, it's really not fair to keep someone in the shadows just because they're poor"? Of course it will be. This Amnesty is just a prelude for the next one.

There's been a lot of embarrassment over the "MarcoPhone" claim, the idea that the bill will give immigrants a free phone. The phone will be given, according to the law, to residents and property-owners along the border, to call the authorities if they see a border crossing.

That's the problem right there. You see, the Amnestias don't want to do anything to actually control the border. The Amnestias main bloc are those who reject the idea of a border outright!

So when we on the right ask for real enforcement, and real fence, and E-verify, and so forth, we're constantly told "no you can't have that but, as a consolation prize, we'll provide some free cellphones to border residents so that they can report border crossings."

Wait-- you're saying these people don't have phones already? Of course they do!

So if they already have phones, how will giving them phones help control the border?

Answer: Because the people trying to trick you into signing on to this want to be able to say "We're spending X billion on new border enforcement," and they don't know how to spend that money otherwise, because they've decided not to build the fence, and ergo have to think up new non-fence ways to spend the money so it sounds all like Gee Willickers You Sure Are Spending A Lot on Border Security, I Guess It's Just a Matter of Spending Lots of Tax Dollars!

This "MarcoPhone" thing is not the thing it was originally reported as -- it's not a free phone for illegals. But what it most assuredly is is yet another deception, another way to offer "a highly-technological, multi-phase full-spectrum range of advanced next-gen virtual fencing" instead of, oh, let's say, just a Plain Old Fence.

And the will to actually enforce that fence.

Crap like the MarcoPhone and all the various doo-dads are just about tricking the majority -- which is steadfastly against opening up the border -- into permitting a small but vigorous minority to open up the border to all comers.

The government never shows the will to actually close the border. Here's why: Because they don't actually want to close the border.

And all this jazz about high-tech "virtual fences" and "smart fences" is just a way to hide from you the fact they're not giving you what you asked for: An actual fucking fence.

Virtual fence = Sucker bait.

We can talk about amnesty when the Political Class finally accedes to our demand that the border be controlled, preferably with a fence. And not before then.

posted by Ace at 05:43 PM

| Access Comments