The House Homeland Security Committee unveiled a damning report this week that projected the potential annual cost to American taxpayers for the care of illegal immigrants residing in the United States to soar as high as $451 billion. Spanning 49 pages, the interim staff report, titled “The Historic Dollar Costs of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ Open-Border Policies,” coincided with the House’s resolution vote to impeach Mayorkas.
Despite the resolution’s referral to the Homeland Security Committee, its passage was thwarted, given the Democratic control of the Senate and the Biden administration’s presence in the White House, signifying minimal prospects for Mayorkas or any Biden official’s impeachment.
The report meticulously delineates the spectrum of services financed by taxpayers, emphasizing that the total expenses incurred by illegal aliens are never entirely recouped through their tax contributions. Consequently, these costs weigh heavily on federal and state governments, as well as individual taxpayers, placing an onerous burden on lawful citizens and residents due to the administration’s flawed border security policies.
Highlighting the exorbitant expenses triggered by Mayorkas’ open-border strategies, the report encompasses diverse costs, from emergency medical care and escalated law enforcement demands to housing benefits for illegal aliens. Immigration analysts, such as the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) and the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), contributed estimations to the report. CIS projected the overall cost to potentially reach $451 billion, whereas FAIR calculated a net tax burden of approximately $150 billion after factoring in illegals’ tax contributions.
Authorized by Mark Green, the Republican Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, the report meticulously segments its focus into six areas: healthcare, law enforcement, education, welfare and other benefits, housing and shelter, as well as private property and border livelihoods. The report accentuates the scarcity of comprehensive studies illustrating the federal and state costs induced by Biden’s border crisis, relying instead on federal and state records alongside publicly accessible information.
Furthermore, the report underscores the continual financial strain on ranchers and property owners along the border, necessitating perpetual repairs due to damages caused by the influx of illegal immigrants. These landowners incur expenses for installing costly security systems, cleaning up litter left by trespassers, and addressing the damages to equipment and vital infrastructure like water lines.
Moreover, the report highlights the issue of illegal trespassers carrying parasites, leading to animal illnesses and posing threats to livestock. It sheds light on the concerns raised by ranchers regarding potential outbreaks, especially fever tick infestations, which can incur substantial costs for eradication efforts, such as hiring helicopters at significant hourly rates.
Compounded by the financial impact of parasite-induced illnesses among livestock, the report stresses the detrimental consequences, including reduced milk production and weight loss in cows, ultimately resulting in fatalities. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture has eradicated the tick in most areas, a Permanent Quarantine Zone along the U.S.-Mexico border remains susceptible to its reemergence.
Additionally, the report accuses the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of diverting allocated funds for border security toward catering to services for illegal aliens, illustrating what it describes as bait-and-switch maneuvers with finances meant for securing the border.
Ultimately, the report concludes that a shift in administration is imperative to address these challenges. It outlines the promises made by potential Republican candidates, notably Trump’s vow to intensify previous policies, including detainment and deportation of illegal aliens, alongside other Republican contenders pledging stringent measures to fortify the southern border, such as Ron DeSantis’ proposal to deploy military troops for border security.