Immigrant Efficiency
Actual quote about the Mississippi Lieutenant Governor:
“…one of the first to speak out about the costs of illegal immigration, which he estimated at about $25 million annually.”
It’s from this NPR story. Basically, illegals there feel like they were allowed to be here to help rebuild after Katrina and now they’re being kicked out. The LG is pushing legislation to kick out the illegals.
I’m guessing the Lieutenant Governor didn’t offset his cost estimate by the gains from paying the illegals less to work than we would have paid legal residents. Let’s see what that turns out to be.
Assumptions:
- Number of illegal immigrants: 8,000
- Number that are working: I’m guessing it’s like 6,000
- Hours worked per year: 2,080 (approx. 40 hours per week). I’m guessing this is low.
- Number of years: 3 (2004 - 2007)
- Pay rate to illegals: $5.45 * 1.5 (construction workers usually make more than minimum wage) = $8.18/hr
- Minimum wage in Mississippi: $11.42
Total paid to an illegal: $51,043.20
Total paid to a resident: $71,260.80
Difference: $20,217.60
Difference over all 6,000 immigrants: $121,305,600
So, yeah, Mr. Lieutenant Gov., you’re losing $25MM but gaining an efficiency of $121,3MM.
The headline should read “Lieutenant Governor Attempts to Steal $121 Million From Taxpayers; Will Serve Life In Prison.”
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May 16, 2008 12:55 pm
By Ailene Hert, May 16, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Hey! I’m curious… maybe you could put a post on the blog that says what people have to go through to be able to work here legally? I’m wondering what’s so hard about the process of working here legally that so many people don’t do it? After all, if they were working here legally, they’d probably get paid better too.