December 7, 2009 Illegal Immigration Hurts Maryland Families When They Can Least Afford It by The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) This week FAIR released simultaneous studies that document the true costs of illegal immigration in Maryland and demonstrate strong voter objections to the burdens placed on them by illegal immigration. (The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders; English Learners and Immigration: A Case Study of Prince George's County, Maryland). According to The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders, the price tag associated with providing education, health care, and incarceration of criminal illegal aliens is at least $1.4 billion a year. (The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders). The impact of this staggering cost has not gone unnoticed by Maryland voters. A new Pulse Opinion Research Poll of 1,000 likely voters across the state found that, by a large margin, Marylanders believe that illegal immigration is harming their state. The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders found that taxpayers spend:
* $966 million a year to educate illegal alien children and the U.S. born children of illegal aliens and an additional $250 million to provide special English instruction;
* $167 million a year on unreimbursed health care for illegal aliens;
* $29 million a year to incarcerate criminal illegal aliens; and
* The total represents an annual cost to each of Maryland’s native-born headed households of $790. In a separate report, English Learners and Immigration: A Case Study of Prince George’s County, Maryland, FAIR examines the impact of mass immigration on local schools in Prince George’s County. Because of large-scale legal and illegal immigration, the county has seen its non-English proficient student population grow from 7,064 in 2004 to 13,825 today. (English Learners and Immigration: A Case Study of Prince George's County, Maryland). Programs to teach immigrant students English cost the county more than $66 million a year. (Id.). As noted in The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders, the costs imposed on law-abiding Marylanders are especially burdensome at a time when the state has been cutting jobs and funding for schools and health care. State and local policymakers have the ability to respond to the concerns of Maryland voters by discouraging settlement of illegal aliens. On December 15, Frederick County Commissioners will consider whether to adopt new regulations to prevent contractors from hiring illegal alien workers. (The Frederick News-Post, December 3, 2009). In February, commissioners are also expected to review a proposal to require contractors to use the federal E-verify system, an Internet-based program designed to verify legal status of workers under federal contract. (Id.). These initiatives are the result of concerns raised by Commissioner Charles Jenkins, who has brought attention to the costs of illegal immigration. Maryland has a fast growing illegal alien population of about a quarter million persons, which has more than quadrupled since 2000. (The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Marylanders). As the costs of illegal immigration continue to rise, so does the dissatisfaction of Maryland voters. The Pulse Opinion Research Poll found that:
* 73% of Maryland voters say illegal immigration has a negative impact on the state. Only 20% believe it has a positive impact on Maryland.
* 77% of Maryland voters believe illegal aliens have a negative impact on the state budget, versus only 15% who believe their impact is positive.
* 65% of Maryland voters believe that illegal immigration harms the state’s schools. Only 18% believe illegal immigration has had a beneficial effect on education.
* 55% believe illegal immigration should be reduced through better enforcement of immigration laws. Only 36% of Maryland voters favor amnesty or legalization for current illegal aliens. Source: FAIR Legislative Update, December 7, 2009 | 