Now that Donald Trump has called to deport all of the undocumented immigrants living in the United States, here’s the natural follow-up question: How much would that cost?
The answer: More than $100 billion — if not $200 billion.
Back in 2011, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deputy director Kumar Kibble said it costs $12,500 to deport an individual undocumented immigrant.
So when you multiply that cost for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., that comes to $137.5 billion.
Another estimate from the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress — from back in 2010 — put the overall price tag at $200 billion. That estimate included the cost to arrest, detain, process and transport the undocumented population over a five-year period. (The Center for American Progress tells NBC News that it has since updated its estimate, lowering it to about $114 billion.)
When NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Trump about the costs associated with deporting all of the undocumented immigrants living inside the United States, Trump turned the conversation back to the crimes they’re committing.
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“Do you think there’s tremendous cost for the illegals that are in here right now?” Trump asked. “Do you think there’s tremendous crime being committed by illegals?”
In fact, crimes committed by first-generation immigrants (including those who immigrated illegally) are significantly lower than the overall crime rate.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com.
Mark Murray