Senate Hearings Examine Costs of Illegal Immigration and Guest Worker Issues
Senate Budget Committee
On Wednesday, August 30, 2006, the Senate Budget Committee held a hearing in Aurora, Colorado entitled “Budget Impact of Current and Proposed Border Security and Immigration Policies.” Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) presided over the hearing that examined the costs of illegal immigration policies on local, state and federal governments. Allard began the hearing by stating that Colorado should have a voice in the immigration debate and that the public needs to be educated on how pending legislation in Congress will affect state and local budgets.
The first panel of witnesses included Colorado Governor Bill Owens; Mr. Paul Cullinan, Chief of Human Resources Cost Estimates, Congressional Budget Office; and Mr. Robert Rector, Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation. A second panel of witnesses included Mayor Ed Tauer of Aurora, Colorado; Ms. Paula Presley, Commander, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; Mr. Dan Rubenstein, Chief Deputy District Attorney and Mesa County Meth Task Force Executive Board Member; Mr. Tony Gagliardi, Colorado State Director, National Federation of Independent Businesses; Ms. Helen Krieble, President and Founder, The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation; and Mr. Kenneth Buck, Weld County District Attorney.
Governor Owens testified that illegal aliens cost the state of Colorado well into the millions of dollars per year. In particular, he said, educating illegal aliens costs the state more than $300 million a year. He continued by saying the state has its hands tied because federal law prohibits asking students if they are citizens or if they have legal immigrant status. “There are real numbers, and real costs, to taxpayers,” Owens said. “Illegal immigration is one of the driving forces involved in these costs and unless we stem the tide, those costs will escalate.”
Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer testified that hospital care for illegal aliens in Aurora costs almost $10 million per year and his city pays more than $5 million for police and fire services provided to illegal aliens. “This is the number one issue that citizens of Colorado are concerned about,” said Mayor Tauer.
Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation said, “The actual costs of low-skilled immigrants are much more than anyone estimates.” Both Rector and Paul Cullinan of the Congressional Budget Office said the Senate guest worker amnesty will cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Mr. Cullinan said the legislation could cost at least $49 billion over the next decade, compared with $2 billion for the House enforcement bill. Rector and Cullinan again agreed that the taxes immigrants would pay will not offset the costs because they are often low-skilled workers who earn less than others in the workforce.
Senate Judiciary Committee
On Thursday, August 31, 2006, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship held a hearing near Dallas, Texas entitled “U.S. Visa Policy: Competition for International Scholars, Scientists and Skilled Workers.” Senator Cornyn, Chairman of the Subcommittee, presided over the hearing and was the only Senator present. Senator Cornyn has authored S.2691, commonly known as the “SKIL Bill”, which greatly increases the number of H-1B visas available for high-tech foreign workers. This bill was incorporated into S.2611, the Senate guest worker amnesty bill, through a last minute amendment on the Senate floor.
At the hearing, according to the Dallas-Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Senator Cornyn stressed his belief that importing high-tech foreign workers helps the U.S. economy. “By all accounts, our immigration laws and policy place our country at a competitive disadvantage,” Cornyn said. “We stand in danger of moving backwards because other countries are beginning to compete with us in our own game