Illegal Immigration Essay

Most importantly, illegal immigrants drain the American economy. The many costs of illegal immigration create an unmanageable debt for the American public. For example, legal Americans pay taxes to the government that help pay for various government programs and projects; however, illegal aliens in America typically do not pay taxes to the government but still use these programs. The costs of illegal alien’s use of these programs annually amounts to “more than 26.3 billion dollars” (Camarota), a debt that seriously hampers the United State’s economy’s ability to advance in the global market place. Although proponents of illegal immigration argue that amnesty of all illegal aliens will balance these expenses, studies have shown that illegal immigrants “tend to make very modest tax payments” (Camarota) once granted amnesty.

As stated by someone who is Pro-Amnesty, “immigrants do jobs that natives won’t do.” (Immigrants do jobs natives won’t do) This statement is false, in-between 2008 – 2010 according to a review of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau data, legal and illegal immigrants gained over a million additional jobs. During this same period of time Millions of American Citizens lost their jobs. The American economy is clearly damaged by illegal immigration, nevertheless it is not the only way it effects the U.S.

Gross continues and states that out of the $15 billion dollars they put in they only end up taking out $1 billion (Davidson). The reason on why the ratio is so uneven is because not a lot of illegal immigrants are eligible to take out benefits most of them don’t qualify. Another reason on why the ratio is like this is since many illegal immigrants get fake social security numbers so they are able to cooperate but are not able to get help back due to the forging of documents. Gross continues and shares that over the years illegals have contributed, “$300 billion dollars of the $2.7 trillion Social Security trust fund (Davidson).” That is almost more than ten percent of the total trust fund. This is a huge amount of money that has been accumulated in a shot amount of time

Victims of immigration include people with little education who can not transition into a job market where many low positions are taken by low-paid illegal immigrants (3). This is apparent because while 22 million American citizens are unemployed, 8 million immigrants illegally in the U.S. have jobs (“Illegal Immigration” 2014 1). Other than illegals taking American jobs, the economy suffers from schools and hospitals losing money to servicing illegal immigrants who do not pay taxes (Masters 1). This charity-oriented attitude also encourages illegal immigrants to come to America to have children because any child born in the U.S. is automatically granted citizenship (“Illegal Immigration” 2012 1). While there are many reasons to rid the country of illegal immigrants, there are many benefits to having immigrants take residence in America.

Illegal immigration causes many problems, from the economy to the labor force. In the United States, there are currently twelve million undocumented immigrants. According to a report released by the White House these immigrants that work in the United States are earning far less than their potential, and if they were legal citizens their hard work would greatly help strengthen the economy (Economic). These are people who are working to better their family and they are being taken advantage of by employers because of their legal status. According to studies conducted by Pew Research, they found that undocumented workers make up at least 5.1% of the labor force in the United States.

Illegal citizens can obtain a driver’s license in three states, an extremely high percentage of them can be granted citizenship, and they can even get a health care plan. When they are caught and incarcerated, taxpayer’s money goes to keep them in jail but when they are free and working they are taking away jobs from legal citizens. In the United States of America there is a reported eleven million illegal immigrants, also referred to as aliens. Many of these aliens have come here to work and others to earn a permanent citizenship. When they are illegally working in America there are fewer jobs for legal citizens and in-turn leads to higher economic instability and can lead to a significant increase in violence.

“Illegal immigration costs U.S. taxpayers about $113 billion a year at the federal, state and local level. The bulk of the costs — some $84 billion — are absorbed by state and local governments.”(Fiscal Burden). Legal US citizens are angered that people come to the United States and “leech off” of the economy without paying taxes. In opposition is the belief that illegal immigrants are not only beneficial to the United States, but necessary. “Contrary to most popular conceptions, most experts say illegals are probably not a net drain on the economy” (Nadadur).

They are breaking US laws and are showing a lack of respect for our sovereignty. Another effect they have on the US economy is that it is not so easy so deport them when they are found here illegally and are, once again, using tax payers money. They are filling our prisons. About one quarter of prisons are filled with illegal aliens. It cost roughly 97 dollars a day to hold an illegal alien that is being deported, and they are kept in prison for about 30 days.

The gap number measures only a portion of the underground economy. Because the number is extrapolated from audited returns, it makes no allowances for criminal enterprises that report no income, and it even fails to capture some garden varieties of nonreporting. The unreported wages of illegal immigrants alone could be costing the government another $50 billion a year, says Justich. Growth of the underground economy is partly a result of corporate downsizing, which has forced many former employees to go out on their own. "We have had an 85% taxpayer compliance rate," says Nina Olson, the IRS's taxpayer advocate.

Throughout the history of the United States immigration has become a big part of our country’s fabric which, began centuries ago. Only to become a hot topic in the US in recent years with its primary focus being illegal immigrants. Illegal immigration is when people enter a country without the government’s permission. As on the date of 2008 the Center for Immigration Studies estimated that there are 11 million illegal immigrants in the US which is down from 2007‘s 12.5 million people. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates are very different from other estimates that range from 7 to 20 million, the estimates are bit off due to the fact that, Immigrants have no papers, so the government can’t keep track of them for that reason.