a Recent Reports The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that the surge in illegal immigration at the southern border could reduce the federal government deficit by $897 billion over the next decade.

At first glance, these numbers may seem like a silver lining in a national crisis, but a closer look reveals a more complicated and disturbing picture, making the report yet another example of the government trying to hide the truth from the American people.

While CBO projects revenues would increase by $1.175 trillion over the next decade and mandatory and net interest spending would increase by $278 billion, these numbers do not paint the whole picture. The report's limitations and glaring omissions paint an incomplete picture that could lead to flawed policy decisions if Congress does not understand the true fiscal impacts of the border crisis. By releasing such an incomplete report, CBO is doing its part to cover up the Biden-Harris border crisis and deny Congress the information it needs to solve the problem.

A glaring omission is the exclusion of the impact of discretionary spending. CBO acknowledges that a migration surge would likely put pressure on many programs funded by discretionary spending. In fact, CBO estimates that discretionary spending could increase by about $200 billion between 2024 and 2034 as a result of the border surge. This large amount is mentioned but not factored into the deficit reduction calculation because, as CBO says, “there is no clear basis for projecting what fiscal impacts a migration surge would have.” [congressional] “Funding Decision” Matt Egan: Senate border bill fails

Moreover, the report “does not include estimates of the impact of the increases on state and local budgets.” Acknowledged “[r]”Research has shown that increases in immigration generally result in higher costs for state and local governments than in higher revenues, and CBO expects this to be true for the current immigration surge.” In New York City alone, It spent $4.3 billion To accommodate immigration and comply with existing housing policies, the plan is due to be postponed from July 2022 to March 2024. Extrapolate this to other cities over a 10-year period and a stark picture of the financial strain on local communities emerges.

Texas was forced to act on its own. Operation Lone Star The Orphan Lawsuit (OLS) is a response to the border crisis caused by the Biden-Harris Administration's failure to enforce federal law along the border. OLS has allowed Texans to avoid approximately $11 billion This is just the cost of border security. It does not include costs to state health care, education, or criminal justice systems. These costs will increase if more aliens are admitted by the Biden-Harris Administration. The CBO report does not adequately assess or include these costs, but they are incurred by every state.

The tax calculation assumes low tax compliance among people who entered the country during the border crisis, raising questions about the accuracy of the projection for an additional $1.2 trillion in tax revenue.

Beyond the fiscal impact, the report also suggests broader economic implications. A surge in illegal immigration is expected to lead to lower productivity, lower average wage growth (especially for non-college educated workers), higher interest rates, and higher health care and food prices. These factors could have far-reaching effects on the American economy and the well-being of its citizens.

Perhaps most worrying, the CBO itself acknowledges that “estimates of the budgetary impacts of the immigration surge are highly uncertain.” The report states:[m]The major sources of uncertainty include the number of foreigners entering the country, the duration of the border crisis itself, changes in individuals' immigration status, the impact on productivity, etc. Essentially, many of the indicators essential for the estimates are shrouded in uncertainty, and the authors of the report were aware of this when they released these estimates, which claim that large amounts of illegal immigration have a positive impact on the budget deficit.

Basing policy decisions on such questionable projections, which the political left clearly exerts influence over, could have dire consequences and exacerbate existing problems. We must demand a more comprehensive analysis that takes into account both tangible and intangible costs, not a politically charged report on illegal immigration that makes the left's case.

The border crisis is not just about numbers on a balance sheet. When discussing immigration policy, we need to consider not only the potential financial benefits but also the hidden costs and social impacts. Estimated 74,702 people Last year, there were 100 overdose deaths in the United States from fentanyl, a drug we know is coming in through our open southern border. (Related: Rep. Jody Arrington: Border crisis comes at an unbearable cost)

Human trafficking and smuggling into the United States is soaring A multi-billion dollar business This is about the Mexican drug cartels. We need to end this crisis now. When comparing the financial impact to the human cost, the money seems secondary, and it is. But understanding the financial impact is important to solving the larger problem.

The CBO report is flawed because it does not provide the information Congress needs to act, and should be viewed as a liability overall. Our nation's future depends on getting this right.

With an honest and complete evaluation, we can enact good laws such as: Border Security Act These policies, signed into law, will force future presidents to take strong executive action to keep the American people safe. These policies will ensure that Americans know who is entering the country and how it affects them. But I want CBO and Washington to stop playing politics with critical information.

Matt Egan is director of federal relations at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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