Lawmaker wants illegals sending money outside the U.S. to pay for border security

As the Obama administration continues to insist that the U.S. allow unprecedented numbers of foreign-born people to seek asylum in the country, a Government Accountability Office report reveals just how much money many of the same folks are sending elsewhere.

The GAO report, produced at the request of Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and House Budget Chairman Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), estimates that foreign-born U.S. residents sent an astounding $54.2 billion in remittances abroad in 2014 alone.

“The Obama administration has shown complete incompetence when it comes to securing our borders and a complete disinterest in enforcing our immigration laws – and it’s costing us a lot of money,” Vitter said of the report.

An analysis of the World Bank’s Bilateral Remittance Matrix, which tracks international cash flows, found that the bulk of the money is going to Mexico, China, India and the Philippines.

Here’s a breakdown:

• $24 billion went to Mexico
• $15 billion went to China
• $10 billion went to India
• $10 billion went to the Philippines

All that money making its way outside the country has big implications for small businesses in areas with heavy concentrations of foreign-born workers who would rather send money abroad than invest in their new communities.

The government’s current lack of competence in tracking remittances by illegal aliens also allows for untold losses in revenue due to tax fraud and money laundering. The monetary outflows also create national security concerns and the potential for human rights abuses.

“A large percentage of human smuggling fees were sent using money transmitters because these providers offered a quick and reliable method of transfer with some degree of perceived anonymity for the smugglers…” GAO reported.

The GAO noted that drug traffickers and human smugglers can send massive amounts of money across the border undetected by simply using several small transactions rather than sending sums over $3,000 which would draw federal attention. The money is sent in various ways, including by wire transfers or using untraceable prepaid cards.

Vitter has introduced legislation he says would clamp down on remittances by putting new checks in place and requiring anyone attempting to send money outside the country to pay an additional fee if they are unable to prove their citizenship status. The proceeds from the fee system, he said, would be earmarked for border security enhancements.

“What my legislation would do is basically improve on our border security while making illegal immigrants pay for it,” Vitter explained.

According to the GAO’s figures, the money raised by charging illegal immigrants fees when they attempt to send money outside the country could raise as much as $1 billion for border security efforts.

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