Jessica Vaughan, director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said policies adopted by sanctuary states can attract illegal immigration and place financial burdens on taxpayers through expanded access to public assistance programs.
Vaughan discussed how certain state policies provide benefits to individuals living in the country illegally, arguing that these programs increase government spending and encourage illegal settlement in those states.
“Sanctuary states typically have other policies that attract illegal settlement and thus burden taxpayers with support of illegal immigrants,” Vaughan said.
She said that beyond providing emergency medical care and public education, some sanctuary states extend additional benefits funded by taxpayers.
“Besides funding emergency health care and schooling for all, a number of sanctuary states go farther and choose to provide Medicaid, subsidized health insurance, nutrition assistance, housing and much more,” Vaughan said.
According to Vaughan, those programs are used frequently by households headed by individuals living in the country illegally.
“Illegal immigrants use these welfare programs in large numbers,” Vaughan said.
Hellbound and Down 