The Real Cost of Illegal Immigration – Report

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A new report from Mississippi State Auditor Shad White reveals the staggering financial burden that illegal immigration places on the state’s taxpayers.

The findings shed light on a crisis that’s no longer confined to border states, costing Mississippi an estimated $100 million annually.

“Every state is a border state now,” White told The Daily Wire, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of unchecked illegal immigration. This statement comes in the wake of a disturbing incident where an illegal immigrant was arrested for allegedly raping a child in North Mississippi, revealing the public safety concerns associated with the issue.

The report breaks down the costs across several key areas:

Healthcare: The biggest hit comes to Mississippi’s healthcare system. An estimated $77 million is spent yearly on medical care for illegal immigrants and their children. This includes $4 million for births to illegal immigrants, whose children automatically become U.S. citizens and are eligible for Medicaid.

Education: K-12 education for illegal immigrants costs Mississippi taxpayers about $25 million annually. This figure doesn’t even account for the U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants, as the state can’t collect citizenship data on students and their families.

Public Safety: At least $1.7 million is spent each year to incarcerate illegal immigrants. This doesn’t factor in the additional strain on law enforcement agencies, which may lack resources to handle immigration-related issues effectively.

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These numbers paint a clear picture: illegal immigration is a significant drain on state resources. It’s like having an unexpected house guest who not only stays indefinitely but also expects you to cover all their living expenses.

The report estimates that about 22,000 illegal immigrants reside in Mississippi. To put this in perspective, that’s roughly equivalent to the population of a small city, all relying on state services without contributing fully to the tax base.

White’s report also touches on the national scale of the problem. A study by Yale and MIT researchers estimated that 22.1 million illegal immigrants lived in the U.S. as of 2016. Under the current administration, these numbers have likely grown significantly.

“Over 10 million people have crossed the border under President Joe Biden, with an estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrant gotaways recorded since he was inaugurated in 2021,” the report states. This is a stark contrast to the previous administration, which reported 415,000 total gotaways for 2018, 2019, and 2020 combined.

The implications are clear: the border crisis is no longer just a border state issue. It’s a national problem with local consequences, hitting taxpayers where it hurts most – their wallets.

As voters gear up for the upcoming presidential election, immigration ranks high on the list of concerns. The findings from Mississippi serve as a wake-up call, illustrating how unchecked illegal immigration can strain state budgets, public services, and community resources.

The message from Mississippi is resonating across the nation: the costs of illegal immigration are too high to ignore. As more states are confronted with similar challenges, the pressure mounts for comprehensive solutions to secure the border and reform the immigration system.

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The Mississippi report makes one thing clear – the status quo is unsustainable, and action is needed to address this growing crisis.