Texas may study the impact of immigration again, but focus only on costs

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Texas is one step closer to studying the impact of immigration on the state for the first time in almost two decades, but might exclude from the assessment the benefits that undocumented immigrants contribute to the state’s economy through labor, taxes and businesses.

The state Senate on Tuesday gave initial approval to a bill from state Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, that would require the governor's office to conduct a biannual study on the economic, environmental and financial effects of illegal immigration in the state.

Senate Bill 825 seeks to provide state lawmakers with current statistics that could instruct public policy that addresses the costs and consequences of illegal immigration, according to Middleton’s office.

During a debate on the Senate floor Tuesday, Democratic senators grilled Middleton about the fairness and accuracy of the prospective assessment if it only focuses on costs borne by the state, which is home to an estimated 1.6 million undocumented immigrants, or about 11% of the national total — the second-most in the country after California.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat, asked whether the study would assess any benefits from such immigrants, pointing to the first and last time the state conducted such a review, when then-state Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, a Republican, found that undocumented Texans contributed more to the state’s economy than they cost the state.

“We’re not in the habit in this chamber to spend taxpayer dollars to study the benefit of breaking our laws,” Middleton said. “Is that what you’re suggesting here?”

“Well, I don’t know,” Gutierrez responded, “Why don’t you ask the farmers and your constituents that utilize migrant labor — both legal and illegal?”

Middleton offered the same response to other Democratic senators who had similar lines of questioning. Ultimately senators gave the bill initial approval in a 24-7 vote; Democratic Sens. Carol Alvarado of Houston, Molly Cook of Houston, Sarah Eckhardt of Austin, Gutierrez, Nathan Johnson of Dallas, José Menéndez of San Antonio, and Borris Miles of Houston voted against the measure.

Texas state lawmakers have contemplated requiring such an assessment during previous sessions but the efforts have stalled.

Strayhorn’s analysis, released in 2006, estimated that the absence of 1.4 million undocumented immigrants living in Texas in 2005 would have cost the state about $17.7 billion in gross domestic product, which is a measure of the value of goods and services produced in the state.

While the state has not updated the review since, similar studies by universities and nonprofits have reached similar conclusions.

Senators must give the measure a final vote before it goes to the House for consideration.

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