Study: Illegals Cost 6 Times More to Support Than Deport

Supporting illegal immigrants to live in the United States cost roughly six times more than deporting them, according to a new report.

The Center for Immigration Studies released data Thursday related to the debate on illegal immigration.

The results:

• The average deportation cost in 2016 was $10,854 per illegal.
• The average lifetime net fiscal drain for each illegal is $65,292. Net fiscal drain, according to the report, is taxes paid minus services used.
• The total lifetime fiscal drain of the assumed 11.43 million illegal immigrants living in the United States is $746.3 billion.

The report states immigration costs provided by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement do not include fees incurred by immigration courts.

The Trump administration expressed its support Wednesday for an immigration bill that would allow legal immigrants to come to the U.S. on a merit-based system. 

Others criticized the immigration bill and said it would negatively impact the American economy. 

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