The Mississippi State Auditor's report claims illegal immigrants cost taxpayers over $100 million, b

 
TLDR
The Mississippi State Auditor's report claims illegal immigrants cost taxpayers over $100 million, but it is heavily flawed. The report needs to account for tax revenue generated by illegal immigrants, relying instead on inaccurate and unverified estimates. It needs to consistently use data sources, leading to misleading conclusions. A 2006 report by the same office offered a more balanced analysis. Still, the recent report disregards this approach, presenting an incomplete and less defensible estimate. The report underscores the need for more rigorous, objective analysis in assessing the fiscal impact of illegal immigration to avoid distorting public and policy perspectives.

A recent report by the Mississippi Office of the State Auditor claims that illegal immigrants cost state taxpayers over $100 million annually. However, the report has come under scrutiny for its significant methodological flaws, which render its conclusions highly questionable. According to Cato Institute co-worker Alex Nowrasteh, one of the most glaring issues is the report's failure to account for the tax revenue generated by illegal immigrants, presenting a one-sided view that exaggerates the fiscal burden.

The report's approach to estimating costs needs to be revised. It relies on rough, back-of-the-envelope calculations rather than utilizing accurate state administrative data. For example, the report assumes that half of the illegal immigrant population visits emergency rooms annually, despite evidence from the Medicaid Budget and Expenditure System showing no recorded emergency services for illegal immigrants in 2023. Such assumptions undermine the credibility of the report's findings.

Moreover, the report needs to use more consistent data sources to estimate the illegal immigrant population, leading to inconsistencies and inaccuracies. It references a population estimate of 22.1 million illegal immigrants in 2016, a figure that has been widely disputed. This carelessness further detracts from the report's reliability.

In contrast, a previous 2006 report by the same office attempted to include tax revenue paid by illegal immigrants, offering a more balanced analysis. Rather than building on this earlier work, the latest report presents an incomplete and less defensible estimate, even when compared to similarly flawed reports from other organizations.

The Mississippi Auditor's report highlights the need for more rigorous and objective analysis when assessing the fiscal impact of illegal immigration. Without a comprehensive approach that considers costs and revenues, such reports risk misleading policymakers and the public, contributing to a distorted narrative on immigration.
 
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