Your tax dollars:
Early in April we reported on a study of the cost of immigration to the American economy. I had meant to follow up on Economist Edwin Rubenstein’s work and give you links for further edification. Thanks to a reader for reminding me this morning.
Go to the Social Contract Journal here for all the titles in this massive study.
Here is one bit in the section on refugee resettlement in the report on the US State Department that you might have seen before but is worth citing again today just as the US Senate considers amnesty for illegal farm workers.
These numbers apply to the majority of refugees resettled in the US, because most are uneducated.
The fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget contains $774 million for “Migration and Refugee Assistance”—up from $750 million the prior year.
The lion’s share of the public costs associated with refugees occurs at the state and local level, where refugees are eligible for a wide array of social programs and benefits—including access to public education.
In recent testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Robert Rector estimated the fiscal deficit of households headed by immigrants who lack a high school diploma—a reasonable proxy for refugees. Cite. Rector finds that the average uneducated immigrant household:
Receives $30,164 in government benefits
Pays $10,573 in government taxes
Generates a fiscal deficit of $19,588 ($30,164 less $10,573)
So it costs us, the American citizen, nearly $20,000 per refugee to supply cheap labor to big companies like Tyson’s Food, Swift and Co., and even the likes of Sealy Mattress.
Note: I’m filing this in our category entitled “where to find information.”