How the US Regime Subsidizes Immigration—both Legal and Illegal \ stacker news ~econ

Governments in the US subsidize immigration through a bevy of welfare programs. The effect of subsidization is predictable: you get more of what you subsidize. This is true for student loans, ethanol, immigrants, and more.

This has been a hot topic both on Stacker News and wherever else people spend their time. I thought this article laid out the current state of how much migration is costing the American taxpayer.

The article also makes the important point that we aren't just talking about open borders. Anything that receives subsidies will end up exceeding the optimal equilibrium level. That means there are too many migrants living in the US for everyone's own good. Since the migrants are presumably coming because it makes them better off, we can conclude that it is making Americans even more worse off.

There are plenty of relevant caveats to what I just said, but that is the starting point of how to think about the situation economically.

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134 sats \ 0 replies \ @erict875 20 Feb

I published a similar post this morning on the other thread, for the UK. #432245

124 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 20 Feb

The article says there are 11 million illegal immigrants but doesn’t breakdown undocumented by state or region. It mentions problems in Denver and NYC.

The bulk of illegal aliens live in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico.

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 21 Feb

The bulk of illegal aliens live in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico.

Sure, but those places are more accustomed to it. It's not surprising if the biggest problems arise in places that aren't used to it.

24 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

The Migration Policy Center reports that in 2021, 32 percent of immigrants (both citizen and non-citizen) used government health insurance. That's comparable to 38 percent of natives.

Yet, even by this conservative measure of immigrant welfare usage, the best we can say is that immigrants use welfare at a rate slightly lower than that of natives. One could argue that, at the low end, immigrants receive (per capita) about 70 to 75 cents for every welfare dollar that goes to natives. That's not exactly "good news" given that overall federal spending on social benefits amounts to about half of the annual $6.3 trillion budget and is clearly out of control. The fact that natives get most of this is hardly an exoneration of immigrants. It's more of an indictment of native-born Americans, millions of whom exploit their most productive fellow citizens every month to keep the government benefits flowing.

We need to limit all immigration and applicants must be vetted for financial assets and ability.

Low or unskilled applicants must be rejected

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

I don't know if it will surprise you that my position isn't that different from yours. I'd favor a sponsorship program, rather than government vetting. You can come in if a credible sponsor will take responsibility for your social costs in the event you don't pay your way.

That would mean no free school, no free medical care, no free roads, etc. Either the immigrant pays or their sponsor pays.

24 sats \ 11 replies \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

Illegal Immigrants Leave US Hospitals With Billions in Unpaid Bills https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/article/illegal-immigrants-leave-us-hospitals-with-billions-in-unpaid-bills-5604492?utm_medium=app&c=share_pos2&pid=iOS_app_share&utm_source=iOS_app_share

10 sats \ 10 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

For sure. Some of that is accounting fiction though. Hospitals radically overprice so that they can write-off more "losses" when it comes to tax compliance.

0 sats \ 9 replies \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

Regardless of the accounting fiction, this situation is unsustainable.

Imagine a world where illegal aliens are denied all medical care including emergency or life threatening.

Hospitals can focus resources on more important people.

Hospital care is zero sum. Hospital beds especially ICU are limited.

10 sats \ 8 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

Hospital care is only zero sum because of stupid regulations, like certificates of need. I'm not arguing that the situation isn't unsustainable, but there are plenty of other reasons why medical services are in short supply.

24 sats \ 3 replies \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

I agree with your comments about hospital shortages etc.

But you deflecting the issue to make excuses, lame excuses, irrelevant excuses for illegal aliens

Why are there long wait times in California Arizona Texas hospitals?

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

I didn't make any excuses. The reason there are long lines is the same as it is in any other situation with long lines: a poorly functioning price mechanism.

24 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

The lines would be shorter with fewer people

Especially if many people don’t pay

Price mechanisms don’t matter if patients don’t pay their bills

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

You could be charitable and assume that eliciting payment is part of a price mechanism.

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24 sats \ 3 replies \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

Illegal aliens don’t pay for hospital care.

Who covers their costs?

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

Generally, their costs are covered by a combination of taxpayers, because some illegals can get medicaid, and higher insurance premiums.

It's no different than any other poor people who don't have insurance, though.

24 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 15 Mar

Your points are valid

We have enough poor people

We don’t need to import more poverty from the third world

How many illegal aliens can taxpayers support?

50 million? 100 million? 500 million?

I know the answer is not unlimited or infinite

Citizen taxpayers

Higher premiums for citizens

Citizens are getting screwed by illegal alien freeloaders.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15 Mar

How many illegal aliens can taxpayers support?

The solution is implicit in your question. If taxpayers weren't forced to support these people it wouldn't be nearly as big of a problem. Who's forcing us to support them? It isn't the "alien freeloaders".

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