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.”
Ooops…….In my post above, I meant to say Mississippi.
Ms. Steelman sounds better than her counterparts. To quote “Nick”, In reality, Missouri has so few illegal immigrants relative to other states we could hardly use an argument that they are “stealing” jobs from Missourians. Nick you must not be employed in a construction trade, but are probably sitting in a climate controlled office paying an ‘immigrant’ to mow your yard, clean your home or raise your children. You have probably not worked in the elements for much of your life.
Nick you do not live in Arizona, Texas, California or New Mexico, so you have not seen the invasion by the Mexican military crossing our borders, the home invasions, the murders, rapes, child molestations, drunk drivers or any other crimes by those who have not yet invaded YOUR state, but they are coming. They will check out your wife, your daughter, your son and watch and wait until you leave your home.
You’re in Missouri, which is still a somewhat ’safe’ state, but the employers there are hiring them over Americans and before you know it, Missouri will look like Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and California. You sir are most likely an employer of illegals and laughing all the way to bank at the demise of our laws, values and our country. A couple more years and your ‘data’ will look much different in Missouri.
Keep up the good work Ms. Steelman. Our country needs more representatives like you.