In 2012, illegal immigrants in New Mexico accounted for an estimated 3.4 percent of the state’s population, or about 70,000 people,
according to the Pew Research Center.
Unauthorized immigrants comprised about 4.7 percent of the labor force in 2012, which comes to about 45,000 workers. Illegal immigrants paid $86.7 million in state and local taxes,
according to the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. This includes state income taxes, property taxes and sales taxes.
The American Immigration Council concluded that the state would lose $1.8 billion in economic activity if illegal immigrants were removed from New Mexico.
Urgent: Do You Support Immigration Reform?
New Mexico is a state with a fast-growing population of illegal immigrants. Two state policies in particular make it an advantageous place to live if you are in the U.S. illegally.
Benefits and services are offered to illegal immigrants. Many other states prohibit undocumented aliens from participating in programs beyond emergency assistance. New Mexico issues driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
An additional result of these policies is the annual cost to the state’s tax-paying residents estimated at more than $717 million.
The state resources for health care and education are also available to undocumented immigrants. New Mexico’s educational costs are inflated by $438 million each year by providing education to these children,
according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform. Once supplemental English language instruction is added to the tab, it goes up another $54 million a year.
Additional costs to the state are the health care and social assistance programs provided to undocumented immigrants. It can cost New Mexico taxpayers more than $108 million a year. The law enforcement services associated with illegal immigrants add $76 million a year to New Mexico’s budget. FAIR estimated that it costs each household in New Mexico headed by a U.S. citizen $1,000 per year to support illegal immigration.
Vote Now: Do You Support Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants?
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