Emerson Notes Cost of Illegal Immigration as Administration Prepares Challenge to Arizona Law

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) cited a study of the Federation for American Immigration Reform which finds that illegal immigration costs the U.S. $113 billion each year, and costs the State of Missouri $338 million annually. The study was published as the Obama Administration is widely expected to challenge an Arizona law requiring individuals to provide proof of their legal residence in the United States.

"Illegal immigration costs us jobs, it costs us tax revenue, there is a public safety cost, and it costs taxpayers," Emerson said. "Ignoring the problem of illegal immigration is dangerous, and here is new evidence that ignoring illegal immigration is also expensive. There is wide agreement that the first step to solving the illegal immigration problem begins with a simple, very important, first step: securing our borders. We ought to be doing everything possible to help border states with the enormous burden of enforcement."

The study found that illegal immigration costs Arizona $2.6 billion per year in government services and related expenses.

"I support the Arizona law," said Emerson, "because states ought to have the right to step in and mirror the federal law when the federal government turns its back on serious problems. The Obama Administration will instead attempt to prove the state law is unconstitutional. It is obvious that they are trying to use illegal immigration as leverage for their liberal political agenda."

Emerson is the author of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to expand the penalties for hiring illegal workers by making employer certification of their legal workforce a part of the tax filing process.

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