Florida Studies Reveal Huge Increase in Cost of Illegal Immigration and Widespread Voter Dissatisatisfaction

Cost Study and Zogby Poll Offer Comprehensive Statewide Assessment

WASHINGTON, April 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Simultaneous studies, released
this week by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), show
soaring costs of illegal immigration in Florida and demonstrate strong voter
objections to the burdens placed on them by illegal immigration. A new Zogby
International poll of 801 likely voters across the state found that, by an
overwhelming margin, Floridians believe that illegal immigration is harming
their state. Their perceptions are rooted in reality. A separate FAIR study,
the Costs of Illegal Immigrationto Floridians found that providing education
and health care to illegal aliens and their families, and incarcerating
criminal illegal aliens, costs state taxpayers more than $3.8 billion
annually, more than double the costs measured in 2005.

The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Floridians found that taxpayers spend:

-- $3.4 billion a year to educate illegal immigrant children and the U.S.
born children of illegal immigrants.
-- $290 million a year on unreimbursed health care for illegal aliens.
-- $90 million a year to incarcerate criminal illegal aliens.


-- The total represents an annual cost to each of Florida's
native-born headed households of $678.



The cost study also determined that the illegal alien population in Florida is
now 950,000 persons. This represents 7.3 percent of the national total illegal
alien population, and it is the nation's fourth largest concentration of
illegal aliens after California, Texas and New York. It is also about 5.2
percent of Florida's overall population.

The Zogby poll found that:

-- 71.3% of Florida voters say illegal immigration has a negative impact
on
the state. Only 14.4% believe it has a positive impact on Florida.
-- 83.5% of Florida voters believe illegal aliens have a negative impact
on
the state budget, versus only 7.9% who believe their impact is
positive.
-- 57.5% believe illegal immigration should be reduced through better
enforcement of immigration laws. Only 36% of Florida voters favor
amnesty or legalization for current illegal aliens.


-- 68.6% of Florida voters want worksite immigration enforcement to
continue. Only 21.1% support the Obama administration's decision to
curtail worksite enforcement.



"Voters in Florida, like voters everywhere, want their elected officials in
Washington and Tallahassee to protect their interests, their jobs, and their
tax dollars from the impact of mass illegal immigration," said Stein. "At a
time when the Obama administration is intent on systematically dismantling
immigration enforcement, and congressional leaders are considering a new round
of amnesty legislation, voters in this key state are saying unequivocally that
it is time political leaders stopped pandering to the illegal immigration
lobby, and started enforcing laws that serve the interests of ordinary
Americans."

The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Floridians and a summary of the Zogby
International Polling results are available at www.fairus.org.

About FAIR
Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country's largest immigration reform group. With
over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that
serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that
immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy,
protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is
recognized and enforced.



SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

Ira Mehlman, +1-206-420-7733, or Bob Dane, +1-202-328-7004, both of FAIR