Why Is Cost of Illegal Immigration Ignored In Debt Ceiling Debate?

This is the question posed by Bob Dane of the Federation for American Immigration Reform. The answer is that immigration is not part of the debate because immigration, both lawful and unlawful, is a net benefit to the overall U.S. economy. The labor that, as former Federal Reserve Board head Alan Greenspan observed contributed greatly to the low inflationary economic boon in the 1990s, helps business compete in the world economy. Profitable businesses pay taxes. And the federal government collects billions of dollars in tax revenues from undocumneted workers who pay taxes by using Tax Identification Numbers, as well as billions annually in Social Security contributions under false Social Security Numbers. The agencies of the U.S. government do not ask much about the immigration status of the workers sending in these monies.

KJ