Illegal Immigration By the Numbers

240,000: the number of illegal immigrant sex offenders in the United States, a "conservative" estimate according to a study by the Violent Crime Institute. Over the 88-month study, illegal aliens were responsible for an estimated 960,000 violent sex crimes in the U.S. 4-10,000,000: the number of illegal aliens who crossed into the United States in 2005, bringing with them 5.6 to 11.2 million pounds of cocaine and 34.3 to 68.6 million pounds of marijuana. As many as 19,500 aliens originated in countries identified as state sponsors of terror, according to the Department of Homeland Security. This figure includes members of Hezbollah who have already entered the United States across the southwest border; and agents of Venezuela, which is providing falsified documentation for entry into the U.S. illegally. $2,200,000,000: the amount spent on food assistance programs for illegal aliens including food stamps, WIC, free school lunches, etc. each year. $2,500,000,000: the amount spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens annually. $3,000,000,000: the approximate annual federal spending to house non-U.S. citizens in federal prisons, which represents roughly 30% of the prison population according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Most of non-citizen prison population is comprised of illegal aliens. $12,000,000,000: the amount spent each year on primary and secondary public education for children in the U.S. illegally, many of whom cannot speak English. $17,000,000,000: the amount spent each year on primary and secondary public education for American-born children of illegal aliens, known as 'anchor babies'. $11-22,000,000,000: the amount spent on welfare for illegal aliens by state governments each year. $50,000,000,000: the amount spent annually on providing welfare and social services to illegal aliens by federal taxpayers. $200,000,000,000: the amount of "suppressed American wages" caused by illegal immigration and lax policies such as H-1B programs. What are the true costs of illegal immigration to American citizens? In hard dollar terms, it's hundreds of billions -- all of which could be better used elsewhere, especially in these tough economic times.