OPINION:
Democrats lured 10 million to 20 million illegal aliens into the country with the promise of endless freebies. Now, even Donald Trump is talking about creating another giveaway, except this one is part of his carrot-and-stick approach to America’s immigration policy.
“Any illegal alien can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out of the country. … As long as it’s not here, you can go anywhere you want. We’re also adding a very important exit bonus for illegals to further incentivize their self-deportation,” the president said.
Mr. Trump signed an executive order last week providing details. Administration officials argue that a few thousand dollars invested in self-deportation will save hundreds of millions in long-term costs to social welfare programs overwhelmed by mass migration.
The Center for Immigration Studies tallied the expenses in a report last year. It found that 59% of unlawful migrants collect benefits from at least one major welfare program, imposing a burden of $42 billion. State and local officials have to come up with an extra $68 billion to provide a free public education to the children of illegal migrants. Altogether, each person sneaking over the border drains $68,000 from public coffers.
President Biden’s team created a smartphone app called CBP One to lure millions into the country. Mr. Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to repurpose the app so it can only facilitate their return. That’s the carrot.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are becoming more common for those who refuse to accept. The administration will impose a civil penalty for each day that an unlawful migrant stays after being told to leave the country. When those penalties are ignored, wages will be garnished and property confiscated. Suddenly, a complimentary flight to Caracas, Guatemala City or Mexico City sounds more economically attractive.
If that’s still not enough to achieve the desired result, the White House ought to consider taxing remittances to foreign nations. According to the World Bank, Mexican citizens residing in the United States send $55 billion to their families south of the border every year.
Illegal aliens earn cash under the table and often take it to their local MoneyGram or Western Union. These services transfer the sum, minus a fee, to one of thousands of convenient locations across Mexico where relatives can drop by and pick up the money.
In recent years, U.S. banks have found ways to facilitate these transfers. Some have even acquired Mexican financial institutions, enabling the use of credit cards that can be shared with family members living on either side of the border.
The president toyed with the idea of such a tax in his first term, but he decided against it. It likely would have stirred trouble with the Mexican government, considering remittances are one of the country’s primary sources of income.
A remittance tax represents the ultimate stick, and it may be necessary to use it. Mr. Trump’s policies have largely sealed the border, but that’s the easy part. Dealing with the tens of millions of uninvited guests who strain resources and affect the political balance of power in Congress through the census is a far trickier proposition.
Investing in compassionate repatriation is a prudent initial step. If successful, Mr. Trump’s giveaway to illegal aliens will pay dividends for decades to come.
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