Save Trillions By Removing Illegal Immigrants

Deportation Costs Vs Retention Costs Truth

People keep posting on Facebook and other media about the tremendous cost to the American taxpayer of deporting illegal immigrants. A recent Facebook post claimed: "It costs $20,000 to arrest and deport every single person from America. Multiply that by ten million, and you can see why Trump will bankrupt America, just like his casinos. Wouldn’t you rather have universal health care and food for hungry children in schools?!!!"

The actual estimated cost to arrest, detain, and deport a single illegal immigrant is about $18,000 per deportation. Using this average one-time per deportation cost, removing 20 million illegal immigrants, which is the number of illegal immigrants who actually require deportation from the United States, would cost taxpayers roughly $360 billion in total to deport those 20 million illegal immigrants.

While $18,000 per deportation, with a total cost of $360 billion, may seem high at first glance, the long-term costs of not deporting every illegal immigrant far outweigh this one-time expense.

According to a FAIR study, released in March of last year, the gross financial toll of illegal immigration on U.S. taxpayers is $182.7 billion per year, or a net annual cost of $150.7 billion when subtracting an estimated $32 billion in tax contributions made by illegal immigrants.

This $150.7 billion figure takes into account factors like medical care, incarcerating illegal immigrants, education, and federal payouts in welfare and living assistance subsidies made every year to illegal immigrants.

Given these illegal immigrants are typically young adults, it can be reasonably estimated that each illegal immigrant will remain in the U.S. and on taxpayer benefits and subsidies rolls for an average of fifteen years. So the actual estimated cost to U.S. taxpayers, over 15 years, is: $151 billion per year times 15 years equals $ 2.3 trillion cost to the taxpayer .

The total cost to deport 20 million illegal immigrants is a one-time fee of approximately $360 billion, or about $24 billion per year if deportations were completed over 15 years. The cost to allow those same 20 million illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. for 15 years, collecting taxpayer subsidies, would cost the U.S. taxpayer about $2.3 trillion in those 15 years or about $151 billion per year.

Deportation versus remaining in the U.S. at taxpayer expense would save American taxpayers approximately $68,000 in subsidies per year per deported individual, resulting in net savings of about $50,000 per deportation per year after subtracting the $18,000 in deportation costs. This means the potential savings to taxpayers could reach $1 trillion every year.

BREAKDOWN OF FINANCIAL BURDEN ON U.S. TAXPAYERS

Illegal immigration imposes significant financial and resource burdens on public services, healthcare, education, and welfare systems. These costs accumulate year after year, placing a heavy strain on taxpayers. For example:

• Healthcare: Emergency medical services and public health programs often cover illegal immigrants, increasing expenses for hospitals and clinics.

• Education: Schools provide free education to children regardless of immigration status, which adds to local and state budgets.

• Social Services: Welfare programs, food assistance, and housing support sometimes extend to illegal immigrants or their families, further stretching resources.

  
  

When these costs are multiplied by millions of individuals, the total financial impact becomes enormous. The $1 trillion annual cost estimate reflects the combined strain on these systems.

Deporting illegal immigrants involves upfront costs, but these are a fraction of the ongoing expenses taxpayers face if these individuals remain in the country. The $18,000 per person cost covers arrest, detention, and deportation procedures. After this one-time expense, the government no longer bears the recurring costs associated with illegal immigration.

Consider this example:

• Deportation cost per person: $18,000

• Annual savings per deported person: $68,000

• Net savings per year after deportation: $50,000

  
  

For 20 million illegal immigrants, the total deportation cost is about $400 million. However, the annual savings add up to $1 trillion. Over a 15-year period, this means $15 trillion saved compared to the ongoing costs of allowing illegal immigrants to stay.

The money saved by deporting illegal immigrants could be redirected to support legal, tax-paying citizens. This includes:

• Healthcare: Improving access and quality for citizens who pay taxes.

• Food Assistance: Providing for hungry adults and children in need.

• Veteran Support: Offering homes and services to homeless U.S. veterans.

• Education and Infrastructure: Enhancing schools and public facilities for communities.

  
  

Investing in these areas strengthens society and improves the quality of life for legal residents.

Some argue that deportation disrupts families and communities or harms the economy by removing workers. While these concerns are valid, the financial data shows that the current system places a heavy burden on taxpayers. Policies can be designed to balance humanitarian considerations with fiscal responsibility, especially when access to approximately $1 trillion in additional resources is available.

Moreover, legal immigration channels remain open for those who follow the rules, assimilate, and help ensure that the economy continues to benefit from skilled, law-abiding workers.

Allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. for an average of fifteen years could cost taxpayers around $15 trillion. This figure dwarfs the one-time deportation cost of $400 million for the deportation og approximately 20 million illegal immigrants. The difference highlights the importance of addressing illegal immigration not just as a social or political issue but as a critical economic concern.

The numbers make a clear case: deporting illegal immigrants is a financially sound decision that could save American taxpayers trillions of dollars over time. The upfront costs are minimal compared to the ongoing expenses of providing public services to millions of undocumented individuals.

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