Cost of Iraq war nearly $2b a week
By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff | September 28, 2006

WASHINGTON -- A new congressional analysis shows the Iraq war is now costing taxpayers almost $2 billion a week -- nearly twice as much as in the first year of the conflict three years ago and 20 percent more than last year -- as the Pentagon spends more on establishing regional bases to support the extended deployment and scrambles to fix or replace equipment damaged in combat.

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Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts The upsurge occurs as the total cost of military operations at home and abroad since 2001, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will top half a trillion dollars, according to an internal assessment by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service completed last week.

The spike in operating costs -- including a 20 percent increase over last year in Afghanistan, where the mission now costs about $370 million a week -- comes even though troop levels in both countries have remained stable. The reports attribute the rising costs in part to a higher pace of fighting in both countries, where insurgents and terrorists have increased their attacks on US and coalition troops and civilians.

Another major factor, however, is ``the building of more extensive infrastructure to support troops and equipment in and around Iraq and Afghanistan," according to the report. Based on Defense Department data, the report suggests that the construction of so-called semi-permanent support bases has picked up in recent months, making it increasingly clear that the US military will have a presence in both countries for years to come.

The United States maintains it is not building permanent military bases in Iraq or Afghanistan, where the local population distrusts America's long-term intentions.

But for the first time, a major factor in the growth of war spending is the result of a dramatic rise in ``investment costs," or spending needed to sustain a long-term deployment of American troops in the two countries, the report said. These include the additional purchases of protective equipment for troops, such as armored Humvees, radios, and night-vision equipment; new tanks and other equipment to replace battered gear from Army and Marine Corps units that have been deployed numerous times in recent years; and growing repair bills for damaged equipment, what the military calls ``reset" costs.

At least one lawmaker, referring to reports of equipment shortages in the war zones and at US bases where troops are training for combat, says some of the spending is misplaced. ``While we are spending billions in Iraq to build and maintain massive bases, we cannot [effectively] repair our abused equipment or replace it," US Representative Martin T. Meehan , a Lowell Democrat and member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.

The Pentagon, which had previously made public its own estimate of operating costs, has not released up-to-date war costs.

2 billions a week for God's sake, we need absolutely blind not to see who are straining our resources.
let's not try to find a scapegoat.
It's true that the illegals are using some of the resources of this country, but let's not blame them because you don't have the healthcare that you deserve.

Now, it doesn't take a brainiac to know that anyone that has helped or will help someone illegal...will not trap themselves into that trap. Ahemmm.
What I am all for is getting all these illegals in the system as to know who and where they are without retribution. Giving them the chance to make right there wrongs without fear.
It is true that these illegal people are using resources that are offered. They also have no choice. FEAR!! These people are working good jobs that DO take taxes out of their pay checks. They just cannot take credit for them. Where do their taxes go?? I would like to know that answer myself.

I have however given jobs to immigrants. Papered. I was very pleased with their abilities and their want, to do a good job for me. I was also learning spanish from them.
I also got know the truth of their lives and where they came from. What it was like. I also saw that these people still do their laundry in the tub! Because they want to save their money for something better. Toilet paper is a luxury. No eating out. Cook at home. Saves money. Buy their clothes at a garage sale or thrift store. New ones are not needed.

As for selfish...yes... selfish. I guarantee you if you were feeling that money we are paying for the war and other things the government is spending it on...you would be screaming stop.
But, because it is not coming directly out of your pocket or bank account, it would not happen.
What I mreant by selfish is that Americans (some) want it all. They are afraid it will be all gone.
As for me my friend....I am here to do what it takes to help my fellow man or woman.
What this govenment does, in my opinion is without truth. It lies, it steals, it screws its own people. I am one of them.
Kat

why is it that every time someone says something about what ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS cost the U.S. System somone has to go off on the cost of the war in Iraq like if we got out of Iraq we would have the money to fund these Criminals who entered our country illegally and committed a felony doing it. Miguel just what the hell part of of ILLEGAL do you not understand. We have no problem with the people who come here legally, it is the ILLEGAL ones that we have a problem with. People who commit a felony by entering this country ILLEGALLY deserve nothing but a swift kick in the ass to help them back across the border. I don't give a big rats patoot what your ethnicity is, if you entered this country legally you are welcome if you entered this country ILLEGALLY you are a criminal and you are not welcome. No one has the right to enter any country illegally regardless of the reason.

As i've stated several times I don't have any issue with the term ILLEGAL.
My issue is with haters like you, Sir.
As long as haters as you breath, I'll be here.
Pointing out flaws in their judgments.
I chose to study law, so i have a legal mean to defend my homeboys in any way I can.
I've stated my rationale with regard local ordinances and state statutes against illegals.
So sir keep bringing hate, and I'll be here to defend my raza.

QUE VIVA LA RAZA!!!!!!!!

And just to answer your question Sir:
I brought up the cost of war because i need to be a sheep for not to realize, that the cost of this damn war other than the human lives that are being lost in both sides, it's financially, and the only people affected is the working middle class of this country.
But this government propaganda is so effective that it has convinced some people like you that the war is for the benefit of this country, and that illegals are the major cause of the deficit in the budget for education and health care.
Furthermore, the government has enacted laws that has convinced that the illegals are criminals, when before it was just a civil offense which it still should be.
But it's better to have the masses hating the indefense than the government.

I've been to Mexico several times. I saw first hand how these poor people are living. Cardboard boxes, paper for insulation and windows. No electricity, (most), no running water, no toilets. It is horrindous how the masses live there. To think that there are jobs and the resources to have a dream, is not true. Most only see the tourist spots. Go out where there is no place to go. Walking into town to church, there dead lay out in the open. There is jobs if you wish to be a prostitute or begger. Or run an illegal business. Maybe drive a cab for tourist who go there to bicker over a price, so they can come back and brag how they took money out of the hands of a poor Hispanic.
America is an immigrant nation. Welcome them, legalize them and collect their taxes legally, so they can benefit from what they pay in. These workers DO pay taxes I tell ya. It comes out of their checks. They just can't file because they are afraid to come forth. Let them come and file and know them and track them and let them begin to do as we (most) are expected to do.
Kat

Kat, It's not just Mexico, the same reality that you just described happens everywhere from mexico to argentina.
one of those countries in the middle is Ecuador, where i came from.
thanxs God, my father is an ingeneer, and i was blessed enough to have a relative good life, with good education and healthcare, not by the government, but by my father who always was blessed with a good private practice as an ingeneer.
But i've always been motivated to help those who are not as blessed (financially) as i was in my country.
And i've seen what u are describing at first hand, through my volunteering for my church in Guayaquil (my hometown).
And I absolutely understand why these people risks their lives and their self-steem, to come here and try to make a better living for them and their families.
Personally, I would not do it, not because of the risk of coming here through the border, and risking my life, but for the haters, I don't take s h i t so easy.

I know Miguel. I only used Mexico. I am aware of those places you mentioned. It is also that way in the Bahamas and so many tourist places. It is hidden from the views of the tourist. I am so aware.
Kat

Let them come and file and know them and track them and let them begin to do as we (most) are expected to do.

Ms scatrbrain.
I'm there with ya' all the way! I am all for a Legal Temporary Worker Program.

To make room for Legal Temporary Workers, we must deport the ones who enter Illegally.

It would be very generous if our Government would not prosecute as felons, the Illegal who voluntarily turned themselves in.

One of the main reasons they are not granted permission is, they have a criminal record at home.

The technology is available and is cost effective, for Migrant Worker Cards to be issued with GPS tracking.

ahem. i gave quite a bit of resources to illegal folks...

cause i gave them a job.

and i too,have helped them in many countless ways,and will continue to do so until the day i die,people forget that beyond the laws,the issues,the opinions and all the other crap lies the one thing that matters most....they are human beings and as human beings we should be making reasons why we should help them,not ***** about how we don't have this or that because of THEM,get over it

HELP THEM?! ROTFLMAO!!!!! I am with gardenforge on this one. You rock babe!!!!!

By all means come to AMERICA but do make sure your doing it LEGALLY. Crossing or swimming the waters ILLEGALLY AND KNOWING IT?? TOO BAD. My thoughts still remain today. Shoot to kill. Thats the ONLY way we are going to stop the TRUE FINANCIAL RAPING OF AMERICA.

MY HONEST OPINION ON THIS ONE.

The TRUE finacial raping of America is by Americans and their government.
Over paying higher ups that we do not even need. Wasting money that we don't even know why they are there. I could give a crap why snails are doing this or that. But, apparently the government thinks it is good enough cause to give money to fund. Whatever. This is a human delimna. A condition that can be resolved by a little humanity.

Besides these illegals and legals are spending a lot of their hard earned monies right here in the good ole US of A.
Wanna bich? Bich about the air force spending 50 dollars on a pair of pliars. More on a hammer. 5000 dollars for a toilet seat!? 50,000 to study how bugs eat?Come on people.
Kat

At the time of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in September 2001 according to the Government Accounting Office (GAO), Pentagon had incurred $3.4 trillion of “undocumentable transactions,” that is to say that there were $3.4 trillion worth of financial transactions for which there was no discernible purpose.


The day before the attack, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld warned that the lack of control over its budget was a greater danger to the national security of the United States than terrorism.

The problem is not restricted to the Pentagon but affects the entire spectrum of government agencies and departments from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Defense Department.


Kat

WELL THE COST OF U.S. AMERICAN TO FIGHT A WAR FOR THE BENIFIT OF EVERYONE IN THE WORLD,WITHOUT HELP FROM GOVERNMENTS LIKE MEXICO WHO DOESNT WANT THEIR OWN PEOPLE BACK,IF AS AN ILLIGAL U.S. CITIZEN IMMIGRANT IN MEXICO YOU WOULD BE DEPORTED WITHOUT A CHANCE TO DEFEND OR BE HEARD IN A COURT OF LAW WHATS WRONG WITH PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES,ENOUGH BLEEDING HEARTS IT IS TIME WE TAKE CARE OF US AND CUT THE PURSE STRINGS AND ASSISTENCE TO THE ILLEGAL INVADERS THEY ARE CRIMINALS AND WALKER YOU ARE A TRAITOR TO OUR COUNTRY,GO TO MEXICO AND TAKE REBA AND ALL THE CRIMINALS WITH YOU AND HELP THEM THERE IF YOU CARE ABOUT THEM SO MUCH ITS NOT BAD ENOUGH THAT NAFTA IS KILLING US BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE FOR THIS COUNTRY STAND YOUR GROUND.GO LOU DOBBS!

These people are working good jobs that DO take taxes out of their pay checks.

Some, but very few, and it might be your ID they are using to pay taxes!!

You are very uninformed about illegal immigration in this country. Walker, I can understand he feels conected. Most of the time I find an American for illegal immigration, it is because they have married, had a kid, or just plain old dont know what they are talking about.

I too have been to Mexico. Many times. What you say about no where to work is bull****. Perhaps, you should get away from the border area where the rift-raft pray on American Tourist!

Really, its kinda embarrassing to hear you talk that stuff!

I have a letter or 2, or 3 from my congressmen and senators here that says, NC last year spent $997,000,000.00 on illegal immigrants! Yes the 00's are correct thats almost a billion dollars, and thats just 1 state.

Trust me I have studied this issue for years, been active politically, and I know what Im talking about.

In some States 70% of inmates serving time for felonies unrelated to immigration are illegal immigrants. I forget exactly how many of their children are HS dropouts, but its something like 70%!

If you'd read back through these threads and quit dodging and dening the facts presented to you, you might learn something, instead of spouting off with your bleeding heart and your emotions hung out on your sleeve.

Im not against giving them a chance. I actually supported the last bill, but the fact is that the majority of Americans dont want to grant amnesty, and 0% of legal immigrants, many who have spent 10 years working towards citizenship, want to.

I dont blame them, who would. They have done t legally, and now you want to make the illegals shake-n-bake Americans!

No, No, No, No! Many of my familiy have fought and died to be American. Its not something to be granted free of charge, because a few bleeding hearts dont have the fortitude to send their criminal asses back!

I do, on a bus, in a truck, or walking! It can be paid for with the illegal money they have in their pockets when they are picked up!

THIS IS FROM THE CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION
STUDIES





The High Cost of Cheap Labor
Illegal Immigration and the Federal Budget

Executive Summary

This study is one of the first to estimate the total impact of illegal immigration on the federal budget. Most previous studies have focused on the state and local level and have examined only costs or tax payments, but not both. Based on Census Bureau data, this study finds that, when all taxes paid (direct and indirect) and all costs are considered, illegal households created a net fiscal deficit at the federal level of more than $10 billion in 2002. We also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion.

Among the findings:

*

Households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government in 2002 and paid only $16 billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal deficit of almost $10.4 billion, or $2,700 per illegal household.

*

Among the largest costs are Medicaid ($2.5 billion); treatment for the uninsured ($2.2 billion); food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches ($1.9 billion); the federal prison and court systems ($1.6 billion); and federal aid to schools ($1.4 billion).

*

With nearly two-thirds of illegal aliens lacking a high school degree, the primary reason they create a fiscal deficit is their low education levels and resulting low incomes and tax payments, not their legal status or heavy use of most social services.

*

On average, the costs that illegal households impose on federal coffers are less than half that of other households, but their tax payments are only one-fourth that of other households.

*

Many of the costs associated with illegals are due to their American-born children, who are awarded U.S. citizenship at birth. Thus, greater efforts at barring illegals from federal programs will not reduce costs because their citizen children can continue to access them.

*

If illegal aliens were given amnesty and began to pay taxes and use services like households headed by legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual net fiscal deficit would increase from $2,700 per household to nearly $7,700, for a total net cost of $29 billion.

*

Costs increase dramatically because unskilled immigrants with legal status -- what most illegal aliens would become -- can access government programs, but still tend to make very modest tax payments.

*

Although legalization would increase average tax payments by 77 percent, average costs would rise by 118 percent.

*

The fact that legal immigrants with few years of schooling are a large fiscal drain does not mean that legal immigrants overall are a net drain -- many legal immigrants are highly skilled.

*

The vast majority of illegals hold jobs. Thus the fiscal deficit they create for the federal government is not the result of an unwillingness to work.

*

The results of this study are consistent with a 1997 study by the National Research Council, which also found that immigrants' education level is a key determinant of their fiscal impact.

A Complex Fiscal Picture
Welfare use. Our findings show that many of the preconceived notions about the fiscal impact of illegal households turn out to be inaccurate. In terms of welfare use, receipt of cash assistance programs tends to be very low, while Medicaid use, though significant, is still less than for other households. Only use of food assistance programs is significantly higher than that of the rest of the population. Also, contrary to the perceptions that illegal aliens don't pay payroll taxes, we estimate that more than half of illegals work "on the books." On average, illegal households pay more than $4,200 a year in all forms of federal taxes. Unfortunately, they impose costs of $6,950 per household.



Social Security and Medicare. Although we find that the net effect of illegal households is negative at the federal level, the same is not true for Social Security and Medicare. We estimate that illegal households create a combined net benefit for these two programs in excess of $7 billion a year, accounting for about 4 percent of the total annual surplus in these two programs. However, they create a net deficit of $17.4 billion in the rest of the budget, for a total net loss of $10.4 billion. Nonetheless, their impact on Social Security and Medicare is unambiguously positive. Of course, if the Social Security totalization agreement with Mexico signed in June goes into effect, allowing illegals to collect Social Security, these calculations would change.

The Impact of Amnesty. Finally, our estimates show that amnesty would significantly increase tax revenue. Because both their income and tax compliance would rise, we estimate that under the most likely scenario the average illegal alien household would pay 77 percent ($3,200) more a year in federal taxes once legalized. While not enough to offset the 118 percent ($8,200) per household increase in costs that would come with legalization, amnesty would significantly increase both the average income and tax payments of illegal aliens.

What's Different About Today's Immigration. Many native-born Americans observe that their ancestors came to America and did not place great demands on government services. Perhaps this is true, but the size and scope of government were dramatically smaller during the last great wave of immigration. Not just means-tested programs, but expenditures on everything from public schools to roads were only a fraction of what they are today. Thus, the arrival of unskilled immigrants in the past did not have the negative fiscal implications that it does today. Moreover, the American economy has changed profoundly since the last great wave of immigration, with education now the key determinant of economic success. The costs that unskilled immigrants impose simply reflect the nature of the modern American economy and welfare state. It is doubtful that the fiscal costs can be avoided if our immigration policies remain unchanged.

Policy Implications
The negative impact on the federal budget need not be the only or even the primary consideration when deciding what to do about illegal immigration. But assuming that the fiscal status quo is unacceptable, there are three main changes in policy that might reduce or eliminate the fiscal costs of illegal immigration. One set of options is to allow illegal aliens to remain in the country, but attempt to reduce the costs they impose. A second set of options would be to grant them legal status as a way of increasing the taxes they pay. A third option would be to enforce the law and reduce the size of the illegal population and with it the costs of illegal immigration.

Reducing the Cost Side of the Equation. Reducing the costs illegals impose would probably be the most difficult of the three options because illegal households already impose only about 46 percent as much in costs on the federal government as other households. Thus, the amount of money that can be saved by curtailing their use of public services even further is probably quite limited. Moreover, the fact that benefits are often received on behalf of their U.S.-citizen children means that it is very difficult to prevent illegal households from accessing the programs they do. And many of the programs illegals use most extensively are likely to be politically very difficult to cut, such as the Women Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program. Other costs, such as incarcerating illegals who have been convicted of crimes are unavoidable. It seems almost certain that if illegals are allowed to remain in the country, the fiscal deficit will persist.

Increasing Tax Revenue by Granting Amnesty. As discussed above, our research shows that granting illegal aliens amnesty would dramatically increase tax revenue. Unfortunately, we find that costs would increase even more. Costs would rise dramatically because illegals would be able to access many programs that are currently off limits to them. Moreover, even if legalized illegal aliens continued to be barred from using some means-tested programs, they would still be much more likely to sign their U.S.-citizen children up for them because they would lose whatever fear they had of the government. We know this because immigrants with legal status, who have the same education levels and resulting low incomes as illegal aliens, sign their U.S.-citizen children up for programs like Medicaid at higher rates than illegal aliens with U.S.-citizen children. In addition, direct costs for programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit would also grow dramatically with legalization. Right now, illegals need a Social Security number and have to file a tax return to get the credit. As a result, relatively few actually get it. We estimate that once legalized, payments to illegals under this program would grow more than ten-fold.

From a purely fiscal point of view, the main problem with legalization is that illegals would, for the most part, become unskilled legal immigrants. And unskilled legal immigrants create much larger fiscal costs than unskilled illegal aliens. Legalization will not change the low education levels of illegal aliens or the fact that the American labor market offers very limited opportunities to such workers, whatever their legal status. Nor will it change the basic fact that the United States, like all industrialized democracies, has a well-developed welfare state that provides assistance to low-income workers. Large fiscal costs are simply an unavoidable outcome of unskilled immigration given the economic and fiscal realities of America today.

Enforcing Immigration Laws. If we are serious about avoiding the fiscal costs of illegal immigration, the only real option is to enforce the law and reduce the number of illegal aliens in the country. First, this would entail much greater efforts to police the nation's land and sea borders. At present, less than 2,000 agents are on duty at any one time on the Mexican and Canadian borders. Second, much greater effort must be made to ensure that those allowed into the country on a temporary basis, such as tourists and guest workers, are not likely to stay in the country permanently. Third, the centerpiece of any enforcement effort would be to enforce the ban on hiring illegal aliens. At present, the law is completely unenforced. Enforcement would require using existing databases to ensure that all new hires are authorized to work in the United States and levying heavy fines on businesses that knowingly employ illegal aliens. Finally, a clear message from policymakers, especially senior members of the administration, that enforcement of the law is valued and vitally important to the nation, would dramatically increase the extremely low morale of those who enforce immigration laws.

Policing the border, enforcing the ban on hiring illegal aliens, denying temporary visas to those likely to remain permanently, and all the other things necessary to reduce illegal immigration will take time and cost money. However, since the cost of illegal immigration to the federal government alone is estimated at over $10 billion a year, significant resources could be devoted to enforcement efforts and still leave taxpayers with significant net savings. Enforcement not only has the advantage of reducing the costs of illegal immigration, it also is very popular with the general public. Nonetheless, policymakers can expect strong opposition from special interest groups, especially ethnic advocacy groups and those elements of the business community that do not want to invest in labor-saving devices and techniques or pay better salaries, but instead want access to large numbers of cheap, unskilled workers. If we choose to continue to not enforce the law or to grant illegals amnesty, both the public and policymakers have to understand that there will be significant long-term costs for taxpayers.

Summary Methodology
Overall Approach. To estimate the impact of households headed by illegal aliens, we rely heavily on the National Research Council's (NRC) 1997 study, "The New Americans." Like that study, we use the March Current Population Survey (CPS) and the decennial Census, both collected by the Census Bureau. We use the March 2003 CPS, which asks questions about income, household structure, and use of public services in the calendar year prior to the survey. We control total federal expenditures and tax receipts by category to reflect actual expenditures and tax payments. Like the NRC, we assume that immigrants have no impact on defense-related expenditures and therefore assign those costs only to native-headed households. Like the NRC, we define a household as persons living together who are related. Individuals living alone or with persons to whom they are unrelated are treated as their own households. As the NRC study points out, a "household is the primary unit through which public services are consumed and taxes paid." Following the NRC's example of using households, many of which include U.S.-citizen children, as the unit of analysis makes sense because the presence of these children and the costs they create are a direct result of their parents having been allowed to enter and remain in country. Thus, counting services used by these children allows for a full accounting of the costs of illegal immigration.

Identifying Illegal Aliens in Census Bureau Data. While the CPS does not ask respondents if they are illegal aliens, the Urban Institute, the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and the Census Bureau have used socio-demographic characteristics in the data to estimate the size and characteristics of the illegal population. To identify illegal aliens in the survey, we used citizenship status, year of arrival in the United States, age, country of birth, educational attainment, sex, receipt of welfare programs, receipt of Social Security, veteran status, and marital status. This method is based on some very well-established facts about the characteristics of the illegal population. In some cases, we assume that individuals have zero chance of being an illegal alien, such as naturalized citizens, veterans, and individuals who report that they personally receive Social Security benefits or cash assistance from a welfare program or those who are enrolled in Medicaid. However, other members of a household, mainly the U.S.-born children of illegal aliens, can and do receive these programs. We estimate that there were 8.7 million illegal aliens included in the March 2003 CPS. By design, our estimates for the size and characteristics of the illegal population are very similar to those prepared by the Census Bureau, the INS, and the Urban Institute.

Estimating the Impact of Amnesty. We assume that any amnesty that passes Congress will have Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR) as a component. Even though the President's amnesty proposal in January seems to envision "temporary" worker status, every major legalization bill in Congress, including those sponsored by Republican legislators, provides illegal aliens with LPR status at some point in the process. Moreover, Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry has indicated his strong desire to give LPR status to illegal aliens.

To estimate the likely impact of legalization, we run two different simulations. In our first simulation, we assume that legalized illegal aliens would use services and pay taxes like all households headed by legal immigrants with the same characteristics. In this simulation, we control for the education level of the household head and whether the head is from Mexico. The first simulation shows that the net fiscal deficit grows from about $2,700 to more than $6,000 per household. In the second simulation, we again control for education and whether the household head is Mexican and also assume that illegals would become like post-1986 legal immigrants, excluding refugees. Because illegals are much more like recently arrived non-refugees than legal immigrants in general, the second simulation is the more plausible. The second simulation shows that the net fiscal deficit per household would climb to $7,700.

Results Similar to Other Studies. Our overall conclusion that education level is the primary determinant of tax payments made and services used is very similar to the conclusion of the 1997 National Research Council report, "The New Americans." The results of our study also closely match the findings of a 1998 Urban Institute study, which examined tax payments by illegal aliens in New York State. In order to test our results we ran separate estimates for federal taxes and found that, when adjusted for inflation, our estimated federal taxes are almost identical to those of the Urban Institute. The results of this study are also buttressed by an analysis of illegal alien tax returns done by the Inspector General's Office of the Department of Treasury in 2004, which found that about half of illegals had no federal income tax liability, very similar to our finding of 45 percent.http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

boredinaz06

The first time we met, it was, what can we do anyway. And now this!
Welcome aboard, Bored!

I personally do not hold illwill for the hispanics but i do believe we need to start somewhere and it isant just hispanics but they are the majority of illegals there are several million illegals from other countrys that stayed after their visas expired,if we wait until we have gone down the ****ter like the south american country's we are at fault and who will we blame then,so feeling sory for the hispanics is futile there are many others that are also being deported and all i can really say is long over due.