The White House, President George W. Bush Click to print this document

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 6, 2007

Immigration Fact Check: CBO Report - The Rest of the Story

     Fact sheet In Focus: Immigration

CBO Report Says Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill Will Have "Relatively Small" Effect On Budget Balance, Impact On Illegal Immigration "Could Be Large"

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) finds that new Federal revenue from taxes, penalties, and fees under the bipartisan immigration bill will more than offset the costs of setting up the new immigration system and the costs of any Federal benefits temporary workers, Z visa holders, and future legal immigrants under the bill would receive.

CBO concludes that with border and interior enforcement provisions, this immigration bill will have "a relatively small net effect on the federal budget balance over the next two decades."

CBO estimates the bill "would reduce the net annual flow of unauthorized immigrants by one-quarter" but admits "the potential impact of the border security, employment verification, and other enforcement measures on the flow of unauthorized migrants is uncertain but could be large."

Background On The Bipartisan Immigration Reform Bill

The bill commits the most resources to border safety and security in U.S. history.

Temporary worker and Z visas will not be issued until meaningful benchmarks for border security and worksite enforcement are met. These triggers include:

The bill recognizes that enforcement alone will not work to secure our border and meet the needs of the U.S. economy. The temporary worker program will help immigration enforcement officers control the border by creating a lawful and orderly channel for foreign workers to fill jobs that Americans are not doing.

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