Shocking statistics on illegal immigration

U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on the Judiciary
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman
_______________________________________

News Advisory
For immediate release Contact: Jeff Lungren/Terry Shawn
August 2, 2006 202-225-2492
Sensenbrenner Opening Statement at San Diego Immigration Field Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.) delivered the following opening statement at today’s immigration field hearing in San Diego:

Good afternoon. Today’s hearing is the first in a series that the House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary plans to hold throughout the months of August and September. Each hearing will examine a different aspect of our nation’s illegal immigration dilemma, and also examine whether the Reid-Kennedy bill passed by the United States Senate offers a solution, or merely exacerbates the problem.

Today’s hearing will focus on the impact that illegal immigration has on the pocketbooks of Americans, on the taxes that we all have to pay, and the benefits that the government can afford to give us. We will also examine whether the Reid-Kennedy bill’s mass amnesty will cost us even more.

Most economists agree that illegal immigrants impose a net fiscal cost on American government and American taxpayers. This is not because they are illegal immigrants per se, nor does it indicate that illegal immigrants contribute nothing to our economy. Rather, illegal immigrants represent a net loss to the U.S. economy because they generally consume more in government benefits than they pay in taxes.

In recent years, scholars have attempted to precisely determine the fiscal burden of illegal immigrants. Of course, they can only offer estimates, but the results are astounding and troubling. Relying on data compiled by two of the best studies, one conducted by the National Research Council and one by the Center for Immigration Studies, it is conceivable that over their lifetimes, the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants residing in the U.S. today will cost American taxpayers over half a trillion dollars. This startling figure cannot and should not be ignored as Congress debates the future of U.S. immigration policy. Read the rest of the opening statement


FIELD REPORT ON IMMIGRATION FIELD HEARING -- SAN DIEGO, CA

Here are Field Reports on the San Diego hearing from Grassfire team members. Go to ImmigrationHearings.com for complete information on the immigration hearings.

Grassfire Team Member, Jeff Schwilk, San Diego, CA

Overall, excellent hearing with staggering numbers and predictions presented as testimony. We absolutely must secure our borders now and end the flood of social refugees streaming into America and bankrupting our economy.

The Congressional panel was made up of Chairman Sensenbrenner and 6 other Republican Representatives along with two Democrats. The most prominent and strong comments came from Reps. Bilbray and Issa. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee went on a 5 minute negative lecture when it came to her time to speak to the witnesses. She ended her tirade by holding up a ribbon bar she said she got from a U.S. Navy sailor who was also an "immigrant". She said the Republicans and these hearings were "maligning" the service of immigrants in our military. She had a few other ridiculous comments about the military and the hearings and was met by loud boos from the audience.

I approached her after the hearings ended and said, "Excuse me maam, with all due respect, I just retired after 21 years in the Marine Corps and there is never any discrimination in the military against foreign citizens serving in the U.S. military."

Her response to me as she walked by was, "I'm sorry you don't speak English". I said "excuse me, what does that mean?" She then said, "You are the reason I said these hearings should not be held on a military base".

Needless to say I was outraged at her rude and ignorant comments to me. This arrogant and hateful woman showed clearly that she has no business sitting in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Mexican House maybe, but not ours....

Read these shocking statistics (starting with "San Diego MinuteMan")