A new study, which did a cost-benefit analysis of President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall, suggests that it could actually save the country some money.
It uses data from the National Academies of Science to peg the average fiscal burden of an undocumented migrant at $74,722 over their lifetime. It also pegs the price of the wall at about $15 billion.
“It’s reasonable to assume that you’re going to be looking at a million to two million illegal crossers over the next decade,” Steven Camarota tells News Radio 1200 WOAI. “All you have to do is stop 12-percent of that and you can get to the cost of the wall.”
The cost of migrants factors in things like their education level. Most that come from South and Central America rarely have the equivalent of a high school diploma. Camarota says the research from the NAS mirrors a 2103 report from the Heritage Foundation, which concluded that
“Well-educated households tend to be net tax contributors.”At the same time, "Poorly educated households, whether immigrant or U.S.-born, receive far more in government benefits than they pay in taxes."
Camarota says those with modest levels of education tend to earn low wages in the modern American economy, and as a result tend to make low tax payments and often qualify for means-tested programs. The less educated are a net fiscal drain, on average, regardless of legal status or if they were born in the United States or a foreign country. “
Every 100-thousand immigrants that you stop with the wall would save you billions of dollars, even if you make the most optimistic assumptions,” he explains.
But, he’s quick to say that in his opinion, the wall is not the best way to deal with the country’s immigrant debate. He still favors internal enforcement of immigration laws, which comes with a lower price tag.
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