Illegal immigrants' care costs state $677 million in a year

[OvrAndOvrAgn]

AUSTIN -- The state of Texas and local hospital districts spent an estimated $677 million to provide health care to illegal immigrants in a year, a new study says. The survey, issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, said that most of the money -- $597 million -- was spent by local hospital districts for the immigrants' care during the state's fiscal year that ended on Aug. 31, 2006. Lawmakers from both parties said they were not surprised by the millions spent and expressed hope that the report, required by the 2007 Legislature, will help prompt Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation. State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, said the study only tells half of the story. He noted that the immigrants contribute to government coffers by paying sales and property taxes.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6160505.html

[OvrAndOvrAgn]

$677 Million is chump change. You can be sure those illegals spent billions in the local economy and Rep Coleman is correct. MOO

That is not "chump change" and I could care less how much illegal aliens spent in the local economy since it will never come close to the amount of money the tax payers have to spend in education, health care and social services and court costs and incarceration for people who have no right to even be in this country.