Speech #1090122471

Now they are estimating 12 million. But. in fact. 3 million showed up in 1986 and claimed the benefits of amnesty. many using documents that were dubious. A 1997 study conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that the 3 million newly legalized aliens in the 1986 amnesty had generated a net fiscal deficit of $24 billion in the short decade that passed since their arrival. The 3 million cost the Government $24 billion. That is a very large sum of money. Incidentally. when Congress passed the 1986 amnesty bill. it estimated only 1 million illegal aliens would qualify for that amnesty law and draw upon the Treasury. That is how the numbers were out of sync. There is no doubt about it. American taxpayers will pay if this legislation passes. If this. what I consider to be fairly described as amnesty. passes. the American taxpayers will pay the cost of this amnesty and it will be a drain on our programs that are designed to provide health care and assistance to American citizens and those who came here lawfully to achieve legal permanent status. According to the Pew Hispanic Center report from last year. the average family income in 2003 for unauthorized migrants in the country for less than 10 years was $25.700. while those who had been in the country a decade or more earned $29.000. Given that the average family income for illegal immigrants is just above the 2006 Federal poverty line of $20.000. it is not surprising that many of these families will likely rely on social service programs to meet their basic needs. That is what we know will occur. Though the exact cost of this new amnesty is impossible to absolutely determine. certainly CBO is providing a low figure that they can verify as of this date. We can learn a lot by looking at existing studies that give us a glimpse at the cost of illegal immigration to our social program. For example. the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that in 2001. 31 percent of illegal households used at least one of four major welfare programs: Medicaid. SSI. TANF. which is temporary assistance for needy families. which is a basic welfare program. or food stamps. That is a very large number. It is not improbable considering the other numbers about the average income. knowing that there are so many below the poverty line. The Urban Institute estimates in 2000. 47.000 families in the United States headed by one or two illegal aliens received TANF. the temporary assistance for needy families. on behalf of their children47.000 is a pretty dramatic number. Further. if each of these families received greater than $1.000 a year. the amount spent for a TANF household by illegal aliens could easily reach tens of millions of dollars. I see others who wish to speak and I will follow up on this later. I am saying we have to deal with the reality.