Immigrant crisis: An econ spin
EconoMeter panel looks at economics of child immigration across border
Roger Showley, U-T SAN DIEGO
Friday, July 11, 2014
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Kelly Cunningham, National University System
Answer: YES
Long-term impacts, whether positive or negative on balance, depends upon how the U.S. acts and signals future continuing undocumented immigration. The endless system of court appeals under current U.S. immigration policies makes deporting these undocumented children essentially unenforceable. Processing such large numbers already costs millions even without considering long-range impacts of providing housing, healthcare and other welfare services. Whether they eventually become productive taxpaying job holders or additional long-term users of social services will also be determined. President Obama’s $3.7 billion supplemental request “merely” adds another 0.8 percent to already existing current year deficit spending of $492 billion.