A new Center for Immigration Studies report suggests that President Donald Trump’s wall along the U.S.-Mexico border could save Americans nearly $64 billion over the next 10 years if it stops half of all expected undocumented immigrants.
Steven Camarota, the study’s author, joined Cheryl Casone on “After the Bell” Friday to discuss his calculations, Fox News reports.
Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, said an existing body of research estimates the fiscal impact of undocumented immigrants based on their education level, which officials can typically pinpoint.
“Once you know the education level of illegal immigrants, you plug it in and you can come up with an estimate,” Camarota said.
The study also estimates that each American citizen pays about $75,000 over their lifetime to account for illegal immigration costs.
Casone noted that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has received criticism for its recent raids rounding up undocumented immigrants, most of whom have criminal histories. Camarota said he believes this criticism is unwarranted.
Reports of ICE checkpoints, indiscriminate “raids” & sweeps in cities such as San Francisco and Atlanta are false, dangerous & irresponsible
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 18, 2017
These reports create mass panic and put communities and law enforcement personnel in unnecessary danger
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 18, 2017
Any groups falsely reporting such activities are doing a disservice to those they claim to support
— ICE (@ICEgov) February 18, 2017
“What ICE is doing is trying to save taxpayers money by making illegal immigrants go home,” he said. “Besides ICE is really just focused on criminal aliens right now.”
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