Thread: MS: Does illegal immigration drain the state's budget?

Does illegal immigration drain the state's budget?
Posted: Nov 17, 2009 11:32 AM PST Updated: Nov 17, 2009 9:03 PM PST


By Monica Hernandez

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - It was the nation's largest single site raid on undocumented workers.

And when nearly 600 workers were rounded up at Howard Industries in Laurel, it was clear that illegal immigration is no longer just an issue for border states.

"Really, we're people looking for opportunity," said Roberto, an unauthorized immigrant who works at a Jackson construction site.

But others say, unauthorized workers are a drain on the state's budget.

In 2006, then state-auditor Phil Bryant issued a report analyzing the costs and population trends of the state's unauthorized immigrants, estimated to number between 35,000 and 50,000.

Now Lt. Governor, the Republican official has a strong stance on the issue.

"There's no excuses for it. You cannot violate the law," said Bryant.

The most recent report of its kind, its most significant finding is Mississippi's "inability to accurately quantify the costs of illegal immigrants" because most agencies don't record citizenship status.

Still, the report estimates undocumented immigrants cost the Magnolia state $69 million a year in health care, education, public safety, and remittance losses, but contribute $44 million a year through sales and income tax.

That's an estimated net cost of $25 million each year.

And although schools and hospitals can't ask for citizenship status, a spokesperson for the University of Mississippi Medical Center tell WLBT that nearly 1300 uninsured patients didn't have an ID, social security card, or visa in the fiscal year 2008, costing UMC $1.2 million dollars.

Still, that accounts for less than 5% of all patients treated.

"I think that illegal immigrants- people who are not here legally- do pose a cost that is greater than any benefit having them here may have," said Sam Atkinson, director of the performance audit division of the state's auditor's office.

But Bill Chandler, of the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance, claims, for every migrant worker in the U.S., one and a half more jobs are created for Americans.

"Undocumented workers or immigrants of any kind are not the reason our economy is bad," said Chandler. "We're talking about banks on Wall Street that have created the unemployment situation."

And then there's the controversy over whether unauthorized immigrants should be counted in the census.

"Here's the trouble: redistricting," said Bryant. "If for example, we're determining who gets another congressman, Mississippi lost a congressman. So if we're saying Arizona or California is going to get a new congressman based on illegal immigrants, that's wrong." said Bryant.

"We're very interested in having everyone counted here because it means so much to Mississippi and by trying to cut out a large group of residents in other states, does not solve the problems in Mississippi," said Chandler

But it's not just about cash or politics.

Walk into Agave in Pear Orchard Village, and you get a glimpse of Jackson's changing cultural landscape.

Products from Central and South America cater to a growing Jackson community.

"The Hispanic community has grown so much in the last 6,7,8,9 years that it's unbelievable," said Lorena Velez, a legal resident from Ecuador who manages Las Margaritas Mexican restaurant.

Agave does more than provide nostalgia for it's customers.

Tens of thousands of dollars pass through the store's money transferring service each week, often flowing into other countries.

Still, many argue anyone who lives and works in the U.S. helps boost the local economy.

"[Immigrants] pay rent, often times they're buying houses, they buy cars, they buy gas, they buy food," said Chandler.

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates 12 million unauthorized workers are living in the U.S.

The majority are from Latin America, but a significant number are also from Asia and the Middle East.

"We are not here to take away any jobs or to invade their cities or countries, that we are here to live together, to work for a better country," said Velez.

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=11522743

Illegal aliens paid $44 million in taxes? Really? With whose money? Oh! You mean the money they stole from a US citizen in Mississippi when they stole their job and deflated their wages? You can't subtract that tax money from the cost of illegal immigration, because those taxes and more would have been paid by the US citizens who still had their jobs at higher wages. Illegal aliens don't create jobs ... they cost jobs! Hey, Mississippi, why don't you check your UNEMPLOYMENT RATES and count up what those people are costing you because illegal aliens stole their jobs? Duh.

Hoo Boy! These pro-illegal alien advocates are getting down right silly aren't they? No wonder their credibility has sunk like a rock on the Titanic and is taking their subversive anti-American cause with it.