Kerby Anderson

What is the annual cost of immigration to American taxpayers? The US House Committee on Homeland Security has calculated the cost, and we are in for significant “sticker shock.” Their new report reveals that taxpayers are losing nearly a half trillion dollars to the border crisis.

The staggering amount taxpayers lose to funding illegal aliens comes from nearly every sector of society. We pay more for healthcare, education, and housing to individuals and families here in this country illegally. We also must bear the brunt of extra costs for law enforcement.

In case you are wondering, only a small fraction of those costs is ever recouped from taxes paid by illegal aliens. The rest of those costs are what we must pay. In the past, many mayors of sanctuary cities have argued these costs are insignificant when we consider the benefit we enjoy from migrants coming to this country. You might ask the mayors of New York City and Chicago if they still feel that way.

When I discussed this latest report on my radio program, one guest suggested that the government figure was probably low. That seems likely when you add to the millions who have illegally crossed the border another 1.7 million “gotaways” who escaped federal custody. We can assume some of them are involved in drugs and human trafficking. A few might even be terrorists, who deliberately avoided capture.

A second guest also reminded us that millions of illegals harm Americans in another way. They are competing for jobs with US citizens and thus keeping wages low and making it harder for some to get jobs.

Every poll I have seen shows that voters consider border security and immigration to be one of their top issues. Wait until they find out how much it costs! This will certainly be an election issue.