Defend Colorado Now

Special session compromise gets specific on public services for undocumented immigrants

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New findings from the Bell Policy Center show that undocumented immigrants in Colorado pay $159 million to $194 million in state and local taxes, an amount equal to 70 to 86 percent of their K-12 education, emergency health care and incarceration costs.

"The action of the Colorado Supreme Court saved Colorado voters from an expensive campaign on what even the initiative???s supporters agreed was a purely symbolic measure,??? said Wade Buchanan, president of the Bell Policy Center. ???It would have been a campaign centered on a false choice.???

A proposed constitutional amendment that would restrict undocumented immigrants from receiving any services from public programs in the state.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports on opposition to a proposed ballot initiative in 2006 that would have restricted public services available to undocumented immigrants in Colorado.

Newspapers around the state report on the Bell Policy Center's 2006 issue briefs, "State and local taxes paid in Colorado by undocumented immigrants" and "Costs of federally mandated services to undocumented immigrants in Colorado."

Bell Policy Center President Wade Buchanan says a proposed ballot initiative that would bar undocumented immigrants from receiving government services fails to solve any real problems.

This review of research reports on the demographics of immigrants in Colorado and the economic impacts of immigration. It also analyzes some federal and state policies regarding immigration.