Building a wall on the southern U.S. border could save taxpayers four to
five times its cost over the next 10 years, a new report by the Center for
Immigration Studies (CIS) shows.
Using National Academy of Science (NAS) and Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) data, the study looks at the lifetime net financial drain (taxes minus
services used) of each illegal alien entering the country.
Given the $12-15 billion cost of the border wall and assuming 1.7 million
illegal crossings without the wall over the next 10 years:
- Each illegal is a lifetime net
cost to taxpayers of $74,722
- If the wall cut illegal entries in
half (850,000), the wall would save $64 billion over ten years
- The wall would pay for itself in
two years (1.9-2.2 years, depending on cost)
- It would save taxpayers 4-5 times
its cost over 10 years
If the wall stopped only 9-12% (160-180,000) of illegal crossing over the
next decade, a $12-15 billion wall would pay for itself in ten years
Factoring in the average cost of an illegal alien’s U.S.-born children, the
net financial cost taxpayers would have to absorb is $94,931. If the wall
stopped only 9% (160,000) illegal crossing, a $12,000,000 wall would still pay
for itself in about eight years.
See full report.
