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03.04.2008 11:05 pm

Steelman declares illegal immigrants cost state at least $26 million a year

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman, a Republican running for governor, says she plans to appear before a state Senate committee Wednesday and “present an analysis and testimony…that illegal workers are likely costing Missouri between $26 and $49 million every year.”

She will present her findings during a hearing of various pieces of legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration,” a release from her office said.

Aside from any policy aims, Steelman’s political angle would be to stake out a strong position against illegal immigration — a popular position with the Republican base in Missouri, but not so popular with some of the GOP-leaning corporate interests.

Steelman also is likely intending to put some pressure on her chief rival for governor, U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia, who is seen as having a friendlier relationship with some of those corporate interests.

“Steelman plans to testify in support of Senate Bill 858, which would create penalties for employers who knowingly employ illegal or undocumented workers. But, the focus of her testimony will be on the amount of money that the practice of hiring illegals is costing the state.”

Steelman says her analysis is based on an assessment from the Pew Hispanic Center that estimates that Missouri in 2005 had between 35,000 and 65,000 illegal workers. She then is multiplying “an annual average wage of $25,000″ to reach an assessment “that total revenue lost to the state and federal government combined is between $243,613,125 and $449,499,375.

“The hiring of illegal workers not only costs Missourians jobs, it cheats Missouri taxpayers at the same time,” said Steelman in a statement. “It is time that we put a stop to it.”

32 comments

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Most illegal aliens have committed at least one felony. These include document fraud, social security fraud, ID theft, conspiracy to violate federal immigration laws, income tax evasion, welfare fraud, food stamp fraud, etc. Foreign lawbreakers are no better or worse than American lawbreakers. Illegal aliens need to be arrested, they need to do time behind bars for their crimes, and then they need to be deported.

— Jasper
9:07 pm March 5th, 2008

For those of you in Missouri that do not know what is happening next door in Oklahoma, you will see a flood of illegals migrating from OK. A new law there is clamping down on employers who hire illegals and also giving benefits to illegals that they are not supposed to be getting. By the way for those of you who believe the myth of “all Latinos are hard workers”, I can tell you from personal experience that they have their share of lazy bums among them. I can tell you that they will not hesitate to hit your church’s outreach to the poor, picking up free groceries and clothes. How do you think they manage to have any money to send home after being paid low wages under the table? And for those of you who buy the myth that they only take the jobs Americans don’t want (like stoop labor in agriculture) you are mistaken. In addition to working in all kinds of construction work, they are also driving delivery trucks with false licenses. I had a delivery man who could not read the bill of lading (written in English) who only spoke Spanish try to deliver the wrong chemicals to our business. Despite telling him in Spanish about his error, he pushed the wrong chemicals at me. I called his boss (who spoke a heavily accented English) who then told him which chemicals to deliver to me. Another example: Police do routine stops on delivery trucks in LA because many are not safe to operate. My husband was driving ours and got pulled over. The cop told him that his was the first truck to pass the inspection that day and that was in the afternoon! By the way, we were rear ended by a drunk illegal who was arrested by a local cop who saw what happened. We had to pay $500 fee on our insurance to get the car fixed per our insurance company. (We no longer carry that company’s insurance!) Check with your company to see who will pay when you get hit by an uninsured illegal alien. I learned my lesson.

This year when I hit a young woman who pulled out in front of me in a parking lot and immediately wanted to settle, I gave her my name and address, showed her my license and told her I had to contact my insurance company when I got home (no cell phone on me). I also asked for her name and address, and to see her drivers license. She had no drivers license.

When her husband called the house to try to collect, we let him know that we knew hias wife was driving without a license and that was against the law, so our insurance company wouldn’t pay. He hung up and we never heard again. Incidentally her car already lost a rear brake light which had not been replaced (illegal) and this suggested I was not the first person she had pulled out in front of. In California, many illegals earn money from gullible Americans by being the “victimes” of accidents.

So don’t believe the myth that all the illegals are just here to work a job. We have learned in California. Unfortunately big Agriculture tends have too much influence in this state. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that if they mechanized like our raisin and tomato farmers have, they would pay LESS in wages. One raisin farmer cut down his crew to just five workers who work year round instead bringing in seasonal workers by the truck loads.

In case you don’t know, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a winery, so she has a vested interest in having a open border. And if you don’t know what happened in 1986 when we had our first amnesty, farmers dishonestly “verified” that many had worked on their farms for a “fee.” The same thing will happen again. Also expect the newly legal to leave the ag jobs, the unsafe jobs, and the jobs where they are mistreated. Once legal, they can lodge complaints without fear of deportation. That fear is what keeps them “in line” now. We saw that in 1986 too. Then they will truely compete with Americans.

— Nancy Long
9:32 pm March 5th, 2008

Richard..you are a typical anti American racist. Admit, you hate everything about American. Our language, culture, values, laws, and identity..you despise the white, christian power structure that has made this country what it is. My advice to you is to deport yourself back to the foreign country you came from your racist, anti American, Pro Tan Klan bigot

— Van
12:30 am March 6th, 2008

I hope that when these people tally the costs of illegals living in the states that keep in mind the costs for the schools, courts, prisons, various expenses to accomidate their needs. They must also tell us how much money is being spent on the children born to the illegals who are citizens and entitled to social services. This loophole costs us alot of money and the pro illegal people like to make sure that these kids aren’t considered as part of the costs of illegal immigration because after all they are citizens.

— joeyindc
1:58 am March 6th, 2008

As much as Republicans hate unions and organized labor…their incesent pandering to heartless corporations and greedy businesses (people who buy Republicans)… and their unwillingness to help the American middle-class, will eventually cause rise to the greatest American labor movement in our history….

Had Enough?
Vote Democrat

— Garrison
8:38 am March 6th, 2008

I left “Mexifornia” two years ago & I REFUSE to let Missouri turn into a bankrupt, Third-World toilet like California is. WAKE UP America!!-were losing our country before our eyes. Jail & fine the employers who hire illegal’s and pass over or throw out any politician who wants amnesty.

— John Main
8:39 am March 6th, 2008

Jasper: “Most illegal aliens have committed at least one felony.” Seriously. That is assuming that those in question actually have identifications, but there’s no evidence that presently exists to substantiate your assertion. If you can’t prove it, don’t waste our time here.

To others with border-line racist comments here, your family’s lineage probably isn’t as rooted in the soil that makes up this country as you might think. Just something to think about.

— Nick
10:06 am March 6th, 2008

Nick, what are the charges for entering this country illegally? That action by itself has to be a federal crime.

— Amazedbythelunacy
1:57 pm March 6th, 2008

Workplace enforcement is a must!!! All illegals must self-deport!!!

— Milton Smith
2:30 pm March 6th, 2008

Citizens need to DEMAND that laws be passed similar to those that just recently passed in Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri, Georgia, etc.—–or more and more illegals will be heading this way!!! Contact State Rep Randy Terrill—–who wrote Oklahoma’s laws—-as it has stood up and survived four court challenges by La Raza, etc.

Whichever city/state provides sanctuary to illegals—–the illegals will come in large numbers.

There was an article that came out last week……..Arizona is spending $40 million a year just in education costs of the children of illegals!!!!! That is not including any other costs associated with illegals!!!

— Bren
2:35 pm March 7th, 2008

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