Fact Check: Trump Is Misleading America On The Cost Of His Immigration Executive Orders

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:52 pm

President Trump claimed that his immigration executive orders would save billions of dollars. An examination of the facts shows that Trump’s plan could cost taxpayers billions, and the economy trillions.

Video of Trump speaking at DHS:

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

While speaking at the Department of Homeland Security, Trump said, “I just signed to executive orders that will save thousands of lives, millions of jobs, and billions and billions of dollars.

These statements are not true.

According to Center For American Progress, Trump’s immigration actions will cost taxpayers at least $117 billion over the next decade:

– $9 billion: Mandating detention at the border

– 25 billion: Building a giant concrete wall

– $0: Amount Mexico will contribute to the wall

– $7.5 billion: Maintenance of giant concrete wall

– $6.6 billion: Tripling the number of ICE deportation officers

– $60.4 billion: Non-apprehension costs for “aggressive interior enforcement” including, $13.4 billion: Legal processing; $11.3 billion: Transportation; $35.7 billion: Detention 8.6 billion: Increase CBP by 5,000.

Trump’s immigration action could also reduce GDP by $5 trillion over 10 years.

Forbes wrote in November that Trump’s immigration plans could hurt the hotel, restaurant, and agricultural sectors of the economy, “Trump also pledged to aggressively enforce existing laws and end President Obama’s leniency toward undocumented residents. Aggressive identification checks could substantially hurt some U.S. industries, including foodservice, hotels and agriculture. All other industries are likely to see some minor disruptions of their workforce.”

Trump’s wall alone is estimated to cost $6.4 billion. A mass deportation of immigrants would take 6.4% of workers out of US labor force.

The economic cost of what Trump is doing could be immense. It was irresponsible of the President to stand up before the American people, and make vague blanket promises that every estimate shows are not true.

President Trump is hiding the real cost of his immigration agenda, and it is going to be the taxpayers who are going to set stuck with the bill.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association