• The report combines data from various state and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Census Bureau.

A new report from the Mississippi State Auditor General estimates that at least 22,000 illegal immigrants currently live in Mississippi.

“The illegal immigration problem in Mississippi is spiraling out of control and costing taxpayers millions,” said Republican State Auditor Shad White. “If this problem is not resolved, our public schools, hospitals and prisons will continue to lose enormous amounts of money that we could have spent on our own citizens.”

The report combines data from several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Census Bureau. According to the auditor’s analysis, about 34 percent of the state’s foreign-born population are illegal immigrants.

Analysts at the State Auditor’s Office conservatively estimate that illegal immigration costs Mississippi taxpayers more than $100 million annually.

“Illegal immigration places a financial burden on taxpayers across the country, but the costs of illegal immigration are not borne solely by the federal government. Taxpayers from every state – including Mississippi – must face the reality of rising expenses as a result of the illegal immigration crisis,” the report said.

The auditor general’s report shows that spending on education, health care and public safety is driving up costs for the state. Analysts say Mississippi taxpayers pay about $25 million annually to educate illegal immigrants in public schools from preschool to 12th grade, $77 million for health care for illegal immigrants and their children, and $1.7 million to detain illegal immigrants.

Impact on K-12 education

The auditor’s analysis estimates that there are approximately 2,500 illegal immigrants attending public schools from preschool through 12th grade in the Mississippi public education system.

Under Mississippi’s new student funding formula, schools will receive funding based on a base cost of $6,995 per student, plus any additional weightings specific to the individual student. This includes English learners, who will receive 15 percent more funding, bringing the total cost for English learners to $7,699.

“Analysts have calculated that the formula would provide approximately $18.5 million for the 18,500 ELL students across the state.12 Of this additional spending for ELL students, $2.6 million would likely be used to educate illegal immigrants,” the report said.

As Magnolia Tribune previously reported, data from the Mississippi Department of Education shows that there will be 14,614 ELL students in the 2023-2024 school year.

READ MORE: Could the new education funding formula cost the state more than predicted?

Low-income students also have an additional amount added to the base cost. This additional 30 percent brings the total cost to $8,703. When ELL and low-income students are combined, the cost rises to over $9,700. For 2,500 illegal immigrant students, this cost amounts to nearly $25 million.

Impact on the healthcare system

Regarding health care, the State Comptroller’s analysis shows that about 50 percent of illegal immigrants do not have health insurance and 38 percent of them rely on emergency care for their basic medical needs.

“According to the Mississippi Department of Health, the average cost of an emergency room visit (without insurance/self-pay) is $4,100,” the report said. “Using these figures, analysts have calculated a range for the annual cost to taxpayers of unpaid treatment for illegal immigrants in Mississippi.”

The report estimates that if 50% of illegal immigrants (or all uninsured illegal immigrants) in Mississippi visit the emergency room just once a year, taxpayers will pay $45 million in costs.

In addition, analysts estimate that nearly 2 percent of all births in Mississippi are to illegal immigrants. These illegal immigrant births likely cost Mississippi taxpayers over $4 million each year, the auditor notes.

Impact on public safety

Prison and public safety are also among the cost factors associated with illegal immigration.

“There are currently an estimated 79 illegal immigrants detained by the Mississippi Department of Correction,” the report said. “Mississippi taxpayers also likely pay for the detention of illegal immigrants in local jails in cities and counties across the state. Based on available data, analysts project that Mississippi taxpayers will spend at least $1.7 million annually to detain illegal immigrants.”

The analysis points out that the estimate does not take into account the costs to law enforcement agencies of the additional strain on their Mississippi roads caused by illegal immigration.

“Due to a lack of data, it is difficult to estimate these costs. The presence of illegal immigrants can place a strain on local law enforcement agencies, which may lack the resources to effectively handle the increased workload,” the report continues.