The incoming Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is focusing on the financial burden that illegal immigration places on U.S. taxpayers. The initiative, co-led by billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to shed light on the significant costs of illegal immigration compared to other major government expenditures, adjusting for inflation.
In a post on social media platform X on Monday, DOGE highlighted that the cost of illegal immigration in 2023 reached $150.7 billion. This figure was based on a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which calculated the total federal, state, and local spending on illegal immigration while subtracting the tax contributions made by illegal immigrants.
DOGE also compared this figure to the costs of significant American historical projects. According to a study by Norwich University, the adjusted cost of World War I for the U.S. was $334 billion, meaning the government spent nearly half of that amount on illegal immigration in just one year.
Further comparisons included the Apollo Space Program, which cost $25.8 billion from 1960 to 1973, or approximately $257 billion in today’s dollars, as reported by The Planetary Society. The Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb, totaled $30 billion in 2023 dollars. The construction of the Panama Canal cost $500 million in 1914, which is equivalent to $15.2 billion today. Finally, the Hoover Dam, completed in 1935, cost $49 million, or $1 billion when adjusted for inflation.
DOGE’s leaders, including Musk and Ramaswamy, have emphasized that illegal immigration is a growing strain on taxpayer funds and are pushing for reforms to address these costs. Ramaswamy has also suggested that some federal agencies may face significant reductions or be eliminated as part of broader government efficiency efforts.
The debate over the economic impact of illegal immigration continues to be a contentious issue in U.S. politics, with proponents of stricter immigration policies citing its financial toll, while opponents argue for the social and economic benefits immigrants bring to the country.
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