Infographic: Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on Texans
A 2014 study from FAIR finds that providing education, health care, law enforcement, and social and government services to illegal aliens and their dependents costs Texas taxpayers $12.1 billion a year, which is an increase of some $3 billion since 2010. These costs amount to a $1,197 a year burden per Texas household headed by a U.S. citizen. The infographic below summarizes what illegal immigration in Texas costs taxpayers.
Want more information? Read the report, The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on Texans.
About the Report
The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on Texans estimates that about 1.8 million illegal aliens resided in the state as of 2013. In addition, there were about 629,000 U.S.-born children of illegal aliens living in Texas who, like other U.S.-born children, may participate in means-tested programs and benefits. Though these children are U.S. citizens, they would not be in Texas if not for the fact that their parents violated U.S. immigration laws.
(The Federation for American Immigration Reform recently released a new cost study with updated statistics outlining the economic impact of illegal immigration throughout the US. Please see that report for updated information.)
Among the report's key findings:
- Education for an estimated 195,000 illegal alien students and 481,000 U.S.-born children of illegal aliens, many of whom also required special English-language instruction, costs Texas taxpayers nearly $8.5 billion annually.
- Medicaid and uncompensated health care for illegal aliens and their U.S.-born children costs Texans $1.9 billion a year.
- Law enforcement and criminal justice costs associated with illegal immigration add about $1.1 billion a year to the state's tab.
- Means-tested social welfare services used by U.S.-born children of illegal aliens add $47.8 million in costs each year.
- Providing basic government services to illegal aliens costs Texas taxpayers about $577 million annually.