Subject: Re: Border Apprehensions Lowest Level In Half Century
Digging a bit further, they are a net-positive on the US economy.

No, they're not.

https://www.congress.gov/118/m...

And illegals *do* receive welfare:

Illegal immigrants are a net fiscal drain, meaning they receive more in government services than
they pay in taxes. This result is not due to laziness or fraud. Illegal immigrants actually have
high rates of work, and they do pay some taxes, including income and payroll taxes. The
fundamental reason that illegal immigrants are a net drain is that they have a low average
education level, which results in low average earnings and tax payments. It also means a large
share qualify for welfare programs, often receiving benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born
children. Like their less-educated and low-income U.S.-born counterparts, the tax payments of
illegal immigrants do not come close to covering the cost they create.

How about tax payments?
Tax Payments by Illegal Immigrants. Like the misconception that illegal immigrants do not
use welfare, the notion that they do not pay taxes is also mistaken. First, everyone pays some
sales tax and user fees. Even renters pay some property taxes indirectly through their rent. More
importantly, as already mentioned, a large share of illegals have valid Social Security numbers
and work authorization.40 Others have stolen or otherwise acquired documents they provide to
employers. We have previously estimated that more than half (55 percent) of illegal immigrant
earnings are subject to taxation.41 We use this assumption to estimate their likely federal tax
contributions from income and payroll taxes. Based on illegal immigrants in the CPS ASEC, we
estimate that in 2019 before Covid, illegal immigrants paid $5.9 billion in federal income tax.
We also estimate they paid $16.2 billion in Social Security tax and $3.8 billion in Medicaid
taxes, which includes employer contributions to these programs.42 The total contribution by
illegal immigrants to federal coffers from these three taxes was $25.9 billion in 2019.43 While
these numbers are certainly large, they represent less than 1 percent of taxes collected from these
sources.44

If they were legalized in some way, then 100% of them would pay taxes, not just 55%. That takes care of Lambo's question.

What about Social Security or Medicare? Here's some things that help make your point...but not really as I'll explain:
A Net Positive for Social Security and Medicaid. Almost all illegal immigrants are barred
from receiving Social Security and Medicare, so the taxes they pay represent a clear net benefit
to both these programs. However, the positive effect on these programs would become negative
if they were legalized and allowed to receive benefits.45 This is because both programs have
progressive benefit structures that give lower-earning and shorter-career workers a greater return
on their contributions.

One might think, "Oh, having illegals around helps shore up SS and Medicare" but there's a problem with that: what happens when they get old and can't work? They get their health care from the ER.