It’s only money. </sarcasm>
According to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), the cost of illegal immigration is rising as the border surge reaches its highest level since 2011.
In a report published Wednesday, the organization said the cost to taxpayers is around $70,000 per illegal immigrant, which is about seven times more than the cost of deportation.
The CIS also reported the taxes paid by illegal immigrants are not enough to offset the cost of the services they consume, in turn, leaving a net cost of $70 billion dollars per year.
The organization also said immigration as a whole in 2016 was equal to the highest numbers on record, with over 1.7 million people coming to the U.S. through legal and illegal means.