Blanket amnesty will place unsustainable costs upon the United States government
Rector & Kim 7 [Robert & Christine, Writers for The Heritage Foundation, May 22 2007, http://www.numbersusa.com/content/learn/illegal-immigration/amnesty-costs-10-times-more-than-enforcement.html]
The Heritage Foundation issued two studies in 2007 pointing out that the big problem with mass legalization is that (a) most illegal aliens are low-skilled and therefore do not earn enough money to pay enough taxes to cover the government benefits they receive; and (b), amnesty would eventually make them eligible for the full array of welfare and medical benefits offered by local, state and federal governments. They found the cost of allowing illegal aliens to remain in the United States, and eventually to become citizens, would be $3.7 trillion through the year 2056. That works out to a present cost of $1 trillion, at a 5 percent discount rate. In other words, immediately upon passage of an amnesty bill, the United States government would need to put $1 trillion into an investment earning 5 percent per year if it were honest about paying for the costs of amnesty.
Amnesty causes Social Security to go bankrupt
Guess 6 [Gwyn, Staff Writer for Associated Content, Professor at University of Memphis, December 18 2006, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/101348/ten_reasons_amnesty_is_a_bad_idea_for.html?cat=37]
Illegals drain our Social Security System. They can apply for food stamps and they can also clain social security benefits from the system from the very day they came to this country as illegals. In the immigration compromise bill that has been before congress, over ten million illegals could use their green card status to apply for Social Security benefits. It doesn't take rocket science to know that this system is almost bankrupt and that many know it will be totally bankrupt within 20-30 years, so this provision will only shorten that time-frame. If there's anything taxpayers do NOT need now, it is to see a huge influex of people making added claims on it. Another senseless and myopic move on the part of some very greedy, power-hungry and corrupt politicians, many of whom have been at this game for decades!
Amnesty would harm social services and would threaten to bankrupt Social Security.
Smith 9 (Rep. Lamar, ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, June 29 2009, USA Today, NEWS; Pg. 8A, LexisNexis Academic) TJN
Unemployment hit 15.5% last month for American workers without high school diplomas. It makes no sense to give amnesty or a "path to citizenship" to millions of illegal immigrants who would compete with unemployed Americans for scarce jobs and drive down their wages. Amnesty would hurt American taxpayers. After illegal immigrants are legalized, they'd become eligible for federal, state and local taxpayer-funded benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. Most illegal immigrants don't earn enough to pay taxes. Even when they do, the benefits they receive outweigh the taxes paid. Amnesty would threaten to bankrupt Social Security. According to the Social Security Administration, most illegal immigrants who received amnesty would collect thousands of dollars more in benefits than they paid into the system.
Link – Amnesty Hurts Small Businesses
Amnesty inflates wages for immigrants and hurts small businesses
Guess 6 [Gwyn, Staff Writer for Associated Content, Professor at University of Memphis, December 18 2006, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/101348/ten_reasons_amnesty_is_a_bad_idea_for.html?cat=37]
Small business will really be hurt because of the unfair consideration given to guest workers. It will guarantee them work at a "prevailing wage," while the same protections are not awarded to tax paying citizens. This is directly discriminatory to our own legal citizens! Davis-Bacon amendment placed by Sen. Obama would guarantee the prevailing wage to a specific segment of non-citizens, which on the face of it is insanity. Small businesses would be forced to pay inflated wages to their guest workers while denying them to ordinary citizens.
Link – Amnesty Lowers Wages
Amnesty causes decreased wages and unemployment for American workers
Hayes 4 [Matt, Staff Writer for FoxNews, January 21 2004, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,109026,00.html]
The Bush Amnesty will certainly have effects on our economy if it ever comes to pass, because what the president actually proposes is to end the unskilled and semi-skilled labor market in America.
First, there is no cap on the number of illegal aliens in the U.S., or aliens outside the U.S., who would be allowed into the country, provided they could find some form of employment. Any employer in any area of business -- no matter how difficult or hazardous the work -- could decide to open a new business, or lower wages in an existing business, to federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour and wait for citizens and lawful permanent residents to apply. When none do, the employer could then order up the needed workers from anywhere in the world. Under the Bush amnesty, we could see a crew of Saudis cleaning nuclear reactors for $35.20 each per day. If that happens, what is likely to happen to a competing cleaning contractor that employs citizens and lawful permanent residents? It will go out of business or fire its American employees in favor of dirt-cheap imported foreign labor. Taxpayers will foot the bill for the Unemployment Insurance, AFDC, and Medicaid consumed by the newly out-of-work Americans.
Amnesty would drive down the wages of American workers.
Smith 8 (Rep. Lamar, senior Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, October 9 2008, The Washington Times, OPED; A23, LexisNexis Academic) TJN
Promoting the use of cheap labor provided by illegal immigrants may help a few businesses for a short time, but an immigration policy that includes amnesty hurts American workers and American families in the long run. According to a study by the Heritage Foundation, each low-skilled immigrant household received $30,160 in government benefits - including education, medical care, transportation and sanitation services - but paid only $10,573 in taxes. That means the average low-skilled immigrant household costs American taxpayers almost $20,000 per year. Also, the Center for Immigration Studies estimates that low-skilled American workers lose an average of $1,800 a year because of competition from low-skilled immigrants for their jobs. Driving down the wages of American workers is not a route to "economic opportunity" the chamber claims is its goal.
Amnesty would result in lower wages, higher taxes, and would harm many priorities of the Chamber of Commerce.
Smith 8 (Rep. Lamar, senior Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, October 9 2008, The Washington Times, OPED; A23, LexisNexis Academic) TJN
Even the business-friendly priorities of the Chamber of Commerce are threatened by its immigration stance. For instance, ending lawsuit abuse by trial lawyers, reducing taxes, decreasing government regulation, setting reasonable climate and environmental regulations, and providing business tax credits are all chamber priorities that likely would be opposed by illegal immigrants who receive amnesty and become voters. Amnesty for illegal immigrants will only encourage more illegal immigration, which in turn will lead to lower wages for American workers, higher taxes and a political climate that undermines the chamber's stated interests. Given the current state of the economy, Congress must support policies that help the American worker and their employers who play by the rules. When it comes to illegal immigration, I recommend the chamber take its own advice and put the American people first.
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