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Skriven 2007-06-06 23:30:50 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070606j) for Wed, 2007 Jun 6
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Immigration Fact Check: CBO Report - The Rest of the Story
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary June 6, 2007

Immigration Fact Check: CBO Report - The Rest of the Story

ÿÿWhite House News

ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Immigration

CBO Report Says Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill Will Have "Relatively
Small" Effect On Budget Balance, Impact On Illegal Immigration "Could Be
Large"

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) finds that new Federal
revenue from taxes, penalties, and fees under the bipartisan immigration
bill will more than offset the costs of setting up the new immigration
system and the costs of any Federal benefits temporary workers, Z visa
holders, and future legal immigrants under the bill would receive.
  þ CBO estimates increased revenue from taxes, penalties, and fines under
    the bill will offset any estimated increases in mandatory spending,
    such as emergency Medicaid, and produce a net fiscal surplus of $25.6
    billion over 10 years. This surplus will be used to cover costs
    including:
      þ The costs of implementing the new program.
      þ A significant portion of the costs of better securing our borders
        and improving interior enforcement through additional Border Patrol
        and ICE agents.
  þ CBO concludes temporary workers, Z visa holders, and future legal
    immigrants under the Senate bill will have a positive financial impact
    on Social Security and Medicare.
  þ The temporary worker and Z visa programs will be funded by fees charged
    to participants, and will not be subsidized by taxpayer dollars.
  þ Z visa holders and temporary workers under the Senate bill must pay
    income taxes and are not entitled to welfare, food stamps, SSI, or
    non-emergency Medicaid.

CBO concludes that with border and interior enforcement provisions, this
immigration bill will have "a relatively small net effect on the federal
budget balance over the next two decades."
  þ The bill authorizes more than $40 billion in spending. Assuming all of
    this spending is appropriated, the bill would produce a net fiscal
    deficit. However, more than three-quarters of this spending is for
    enhancements to border security and interior enforcement. These
    enhancements will benefit the country as a whole and reflect costs that
    taxpayers currently bear. In addition, revenues generated by new
    workers under the bill will still cover about half of these enforcement
    costs.
  þ The bill is an improvement over last year's Senate bill (S. 2611),
    which CBO estimated would have required a taxpayer contribution of
    twice the magnitude estimated for this year's bill.

CBO estimates the bill "would reduce the net annual flow of unauthorized
immigrants by one-quarter" but admits "the potential impact of the border
security, employment verification, and other enforcement measures on the
flow of unauthorized migrants is uncertain but could be large."
  þ For the first time, CBO has found that the enforcement provisions of an
    immigration bill are robust enough to reduce significantly illegal
    immigration.
  þ CBO notes that, while previous attempts to cut illegal immigration have
    been relatively unsuccessful, the bill "would authorize significant
    additional resources as well as a comprehensive employment verification
    system to deter the hiring of unauthorized workers."
  þ The report also notes that "the implementation of the new guest worker
    program and the provision of visas to the currently unauthorized
    population could occur only if the Secretary of DHS certifies" that
    certain enforcement measures are in place.

Background On The Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill

The bill commits the most resources to border safety and security in U.S.
history.

Temporary worker and Z visas will not be issued until meaningful benchmarks
for border security and worksite enforcement are met. These triggers
include:
  þ Increasing border fencing.
  þ Increasing vehicle barriers at the Southern border.
  þ Increasing the size of the Border Patrol.
  þ Installing ground-based radar and camera towers along the Southern
    border.
  þ Ensuring resources are available to maintain the effective end of
    "Catch and Release" for every non-Mexican apprehended at our border.
  þ Establishing and putting in use a reliable employment eligibility
    verification system.

The bill recognizes that enforcement alone will not work to secure our
border and meet the needs of the U.S. economy. The temporary worker program
will help immigration enforcement officers control the border by creating a
lawful and orderly channel for foreign workers to fill jobs that Americans
are not doing.

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