By Savannah Hulsey Pointer
Americans are footing a multibillion-dollar bill for illegal immigrants who have been released in the interior of the United States or have escaped law enforcement custody under the current administration, according to a Nov. 13 report released by House Republicans.
The House Homeland Security Committee interim staff report gathered state records, media reports, and publicly available information into a nearly 50-page document that outlines the cost of coping with the massive influx of illegal immigrants to the United States.
“Every day, millions of American taxpayer dollars are spent on costs directly associated with illegal immigration and the unprecedented crisis at the Southwest border sparked by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ policies,” the report stated.
“Only a small fraction is ever recouped from the taxes paid by illegal aliens, with the rest falling on the shoulders of American citizens and lawful residents.”
In a detailed analysis, the document outlines the financial toll of current immigration policies, pointing blame toward DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and his border policies.
In the health care sector, the report reveals that despite restrictions on benefits, illegal immigrants receive taxpayer-funded medical care, amplifying the strain on local and state governments.
The committee report cited the Center for Immigration Studies, which used data from RealClearInvestigations to estimate that government care and shelter for illegal immigrants—including those who are caught at the border and those who evade capture (known as “gotaways”)—might cost as much as $451 billion annually at the national level.
The committee report used estimates from the conservative Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and Yale University, which place the number of illegal immigrants in the United States at between 16.8 million and 29 million, with an additional 3.8 million having entered the country since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
Members of the Republican-controlled committee also pointed to recent FAIR research which placed illegal immigration costs for the U.S. government at roughly $182 billion per year, with foreign nationals contributing only $31 billion in tax income to offset that figure.
FAIR estimates that $115 billion is coming from state governments while the federal government contributes only $66 billion. In contrast, the group estimated that the total cost of illegal immigration was $135 billion in 2017.
Health Care and Law Enforcement
Specifically, the document outlines the escalating health care expenses incurred by states, with Medicaid costs for “emergency services for undocumented aliens” surpassing $7 billion in 2021 and exceeding $5.4 billion in 2022. Legal challenges by states, such as Texas, underscore the financial burdens, with the state forced to pay $62 million to $90 million annually under its Emergency Medicaid program.
The report highlights real-world examples, including the Yuma Regional Medical Hospital in Arizona, which faced over $26 million in unreimbursed medical costs from December 2021 to November 2022 alone. The findings suggest that the growing number of illegal immigrants released into the U.S. interior under Mr. Mayorkas’ policies is exacerbating financial strain on medical providers, ultimately funded by American taxpayers.
The report details the profound impact of the fentanyl crisis, emphasizing the human toll while acknowledging the substantial financial strain on the United States, estimating a cost surpassing $1.5 trillion in 2020 alone.
According to the report, law enforcement expenses related to illegal immigration extend beyond border security, with states grappling with heightened crime rates. Localities across the country report growing costs in responding to 911 calls, booking illegal immigrants in county jails, and addressing the aftermath of criminal activities. These expenditures include medical care for detainees, autopsies, and even burial expenses, reportedly compelling some jurisdictions to implement pay cuts for employees.
Law enforcement costs, according to the report, are soaring due to Mr. Mayorkas’ lenient strategies, with a focus on the fentanyl crisis, border security, and the broader impact on states dealing with increased crime rates.
Impact on Education, Welfare, and Housing
Illegal immigration’s impact on the education system emerged as a significant concern in the report.
The surge in illegal immigrants, particularly children, was shown to impose staggering costs on both states and the federal government. The report underscores the urgent need for a reassessment of immigration policies to alleviate the mounting financial burden on the education sector.
The strain on welfare programs intended for low-income Americans is another focal point. Despite ineligibility for most benefits, the report indicates that illegal immigrants disproportionately utilize federal and state welfare programs, sparking concerns about the strain on resources and the need for comprehensive reforms.
Housing and shelter costs in American cities have reached unprecedented levels, allegedly driven by Mr. Mayorkas’ refusal to enforce immigration laws. The financial burden on cities like New York has prompted concerns about escalating costs as long as open-border policies persist.
The document also reveals the overwhelming financial strain imposed on the U.S. education system. The costs associated with providing education services to illegal immigrant children and children born to illegal immigrants on U.S. soil are staggering, reaching monumental figures for states and the federal government.
Primary among these expenditures are the colossal sums states bear to provide public education services.
The 2021–2022 school year witnessed about 5.1 million public school students, constituting roughly 6.5 percent of the school-age population, categorized as Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students. This demographic, comprising about 25 percent of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, costs taxpayers nearly $59 billion. The challenges multiply as record numbers of illegal immigrant children, many designated as LEP, continue to flood into the country, adding an estimated $7 billion burden on public education budgets.
The report also covers increasing housing costs tied to illegal immigration and the toll on private property and the economy, asserting that the DHS secretary’s decisions have prioritized illegal immigrants over American citizens.
“While an ever-increasing number—hundreds of thousands—of Americans are living on the streets, Biden and Mayorkas are asking for more than $1 billion just this year in taxpayer dollars to provide housing and other benefits for illegal aliens—and disguising it as spending on ‘immigration enforcement’ to do so,” the report stated.
DHS Response
A DHS spokesperson responded to The Epoch Times’ request for comment in an emailed statement, saying, “While the House Majority has wasted months trying to score points with baseless attacks, Secretary Mayorkas has been doing his job and working to keep Americans safe.
“Under his leadership, the Department of Homeland Security is stopping unprecedented amounts of fentanyl from entering the country, countering threats from the Chinese government, helping communities recover from natural disasters, and working to protect our nation from cyberattacks, terrorism, and targeted violence. Instead of continuing their reckless impeachment charades and attacks on law enforcement, Congress should work with us to keep our country safe, build on the progress DHS is making, and deliver desperately needed reforms for our broken immigration system that only legislation can fix.”
The department also asserted that the Biden administration is “continuing to manage our borders in a safe, secure, and humane way, leveraging expanded lawful pathways with tougher consequences to address irregular migration that we are experiencing throughout the hemisphere.”
“We are vigilant and prepared to adapt as numbers fluctuate, and we are working with partners throughout the hemisphere to go after criminal smuggling networks and to counter the lies smugglers use to manipulate migrants.”
