Push to Grant Legal Status to Millions of Illegal Immigrants Renewed

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Push to Grant Legal Status to Millions of Illegal Immigrants Renewed

A renewed effort is afoot to grant legal status to millions of illegal Mexican immigrants. Incredibly, while the public is being told that the finances of Social Security and Medicare are so precarious that benefit cuts are inevitable, the Bush Administration has renewed a proposal that would give migrant workers, including those in the country illegally, legal status. In addition, a proposed Social Security totalization agreement that the U.S. signed with Mexico last year would give millions of Mexican workers, including those who formerly worked here illegally, access to Social Security and a host of other government benefits.

According to recent studies by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), there are some 9 to 10 million illegal aliens in this country and some 60 percent of them are from Mexico. CIS found that if all illegals were given amnesty, and began to pay taxes and use services like households headed by legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual net fiscal deficit, not counting Social Security or Medicare, would increase about $29 billion. Costs would increase dramatically, says the CIS, because unskilled immigrants with legal status could access government programs like food stamps and Medicaid but tend to make very modest tax payments. Should Congress allow the Social Security agreement with Mexico, CIS says that the U.S. would eventually be compelled to pay out billions in retirement benefits to Mexicans for work credits acquired while using fraudulent Social Security numbers prior to obtaining legal status.

TSCL is highly opposed to both proposals. Although Congress recently tightened Social Security law to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving benefits, the law still allows immigrants here illegally to earn work credits towards Social Security benefits. Later, if the immigrant receives a valid Social Security number, those credits can be counted towards becoming eligible for benefits sooner and can boost the amount of a benefit.

TSCL has been fighting the U.S. – Mexico Social Security totalization agreement by urging support for a resolution disapproving of the pact (H. Res. 720 in the last Congress). The only way to stop the treaty is for Congress to adopt such a resolution.

Sources: “Bush to Push for Temporary Worker Program,” Scott Shane, The New York Times, November 9, 2004. “The High Cost of Cheap Labor,” Steven Comarota, The Center for Immigration Studies, August 25, 2004. “Social Security Totalization, Examining a Lopsided Agreement With Mexico,” September 28, 2004. “Economy Slowed But Immigration Didn’t,” Steven A Comarota, Center for Immigration Studies, November 23, 2004.

February 2005