It is time to Rethink Immigration Deportation Policies
By Norman Franklin
Norman Franklin
The deportation of immigrants, it is estimated that since 2001, has a price tag of $122 billion in direct cost. When we consider the indirect cost over the same period, another $600 to $700 billion brings the cumulative to and exorbitant cost of $822 billion.
The indirect cost includes immigration enforcement – ICE and CBP; economic costs – GDP and tax revenue; family separation and social costs; border wall and maintenance, and alternatives to detention. The border wall construction cost taxpayers $15 billion with an annual maintenance of $2 billion.
President-elect Trump promises to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants during his term. Cost estimates of the mass deportation range from $110 billion to $220 billion.
It’s not a clearcut process. There are several stages involved. Undocumented immigrants must be identified, apprehended, detained while awaiting the judicial process, and transportation out of the US.
Identification and apprehension will be costly. Undocumented immigrants live in integrated communities. Funding for increased raids, staffing, and technology will require significant budget increases.
Legal and judicial costs – due process, could run up to $30 billion over several years. Housing detainees, under a 30-day efficient system, estimates are nearly $50 billion. The economic cost of deportation of 11 million undocumented immigrants is estimated to reach $1.6 trillion in loss GDP over a twenty-year period. They contribute $11.7 billion annually to state and local tax coffers.
Deportations during the 8 years of the Bush administration was 2 million. President Obama deported 3 million. During President-elect Trump’s first administration, 1 million undocumented immigrants were deported.
The Biden administration has deported 800,000 in 3.5 years. Biden shifted policy emphasis to to detention and put investments dollars into defusing the root causes of desperation in Central American countries.
VP Harris met with leaders of Guatemala and Mexico in 2021 to examine the driving forces of migration. In Guatemala she discussed rampant corruption, economic instability, and gang violence. In Mexico, she met with officials to discuss migration challenges, economic development and human trafficking networks.
The Biden administration pledged to invest $4 billion to address the poverty, violence, economic and government corruption. The Four-year funding was committed to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Private sector commitments added $1.2 billion for infrastructure and economic growth, and education.
Deportation addresses symptoms. The root causes leading to desperation are exacerbated by the introduction of deportees unfamiliar with the environment and culture of Central American countries. Some undocumented families, their children have acclimated to America’s culture and social norms. It is all they have known. Investment in Central America would target sustainable regional development, defuse the social crisis, and the desperation to look to migration as the only viable solution.
It is a natural human tendency to want safety for our families and economic opportunities. America has a plethora of millionaires, billionaires, men and women of business acumen, and corporations with cash and resources to invest, and a desire to expand. Central America is an optimal, futile investment opportunity.