Study says county spent $250 million on illegals in 2006-2007

A recent in-depth study commissioned by the County of San Diego revealed $250 million in estimated costs was spent on undocumented residents in the Fiscal Year 2006-2007.

“The study not only confirms my suspicions, but the findings are worse than I could have imagined,” said Fifth District Supervisor Bill Horn in a press release dated September 14. “While more than $100 million in taxpayer’s dollars is drained from our budget every year to provide services to people who are in this country illegally, there is another $154 million in costs for un-reimbursed emergency medical care. While this is not a direct county cost, it is a huge hit on the community.”

The following information from the study details the $101.5 million impact to San Diego County:

• Impact to Public Safety: $75 million

• Impact to Health and Human Services: $22.9 million

• Impact to Parks and Recreations: $3.6 million

The breakdown for the $75 million amount for Public Safety is as follows:

• District Attorney: $9 million

• Sheriff: $48.5 million

• Public Defender: $5.5 million

• Alternate Public Defender: $1.6 million

• Probation (Juvenile): $5.3 million

• Probation (Adult): $4.7 million

• Medical Examiner: $182,000

This comprehensive study was prepared by John Weeks, PhD, and David Eisenberg, PhD, for the direct purpose of providing the County of San Diego with an accurate dollar estimate in how undocumented residents have impacted the county.

According to researchers, this high dollar amount is a direct correlation to the increase of the undocumented immigrant population. “The estimate suggests that in 1990, undocumented immigrants accounted for 3.2 percent of the county’s population, but by 2007 this is estimated to have more than doubled to 6.8 percent, with an estimated 209,930 undocumented immigrants living in the county as of 2007.” (Weeks and Eisenberg, “Estimating the Impact of Undocumented Immigrants,” p. iii)

The authors of this study interviewed agency administrators in San Diego County who furnished services to undocumented residents. It was mentioned that, often, agencies do not inquire about the legal residency of its clientele, so Weeks and Eisenberg stated that their sound estimates arrived from “soft” data. The percentages reached were generated from the collaboration of in-person interviews, follow-ups and analysis.

“Local governments, especially those along the border, are in the unenviable position of having to serve needy or criminal undocumented persons who enter the community illegally as a result of failed border controls or federal immigration policy.” (Weeks and Eisenberg, “Estimating the Impact of Undocumented Immigrants,” p. iii)

Though it was cited that costs of education for children of undocumented immigrants have inflated for taxpayers, it was said that costs did not impact the county government. Because of this, the educational spectrum was not included in the study.

While it was disclosed that the authors were well aware that undocumented immigrants make purchases in San Diego County that contribute to the economic base, this element was not part of the analysis.