A new White House economic report warns that immigration policies backed by the Democratic Socialists of America could cost American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade, as the Trump administration seeks to frame the debate over mass amnesty and expanded federal benefits ahead of the midterm elections.
The Council of Economic Advisers estimates that mass amnesty and expanded federal benefits under DSA-backed immigration policies could cost taxpayers between $440 billion and $613 billion over the next decade. The report also estimates that the average illegal immigrant carries a lifetime net fiscal cost of $166,716, with the current illegal immigrant population projected to account for between $1.4 trillion and $1.9 trillion in taxpayer costs under its model.
The council's findings go beyond the cost of mass amnesty, examining the potential impact of expanded federal benefits and reduced immigration enforcement. The report estimates that expanded eligibility for SNAP, federal housing assistance and Medicaid would add between $361 billion and $475 billion in federal spending over the next decade. That includes an additional $3.6 billion to $4.7 billion in annual food stamp costs, another $2.3 billion to $3 billion in federal housing assistance, and as much as $40 billion a year in additional Medicaid spending.
Beyond expanded benefits, the council estimates that ending Trump-backed immigration enforcement measures would wipe out between $227 billion and $287 billion in projected taxpayer savings, producing a net estimated cost of $79 billion to $139 billion over the next decade after accounting for reduced enforcement spending.
The White House is casting the DSA's immigration agenda as a potential financial and public safety threat, warning that its policies could compound the very cost-of-living pressures Democrats have used to hammer Republicans. The report's release comes as socialist-aligned candidates have gained ground in 2026, winning key Democratic primaries and expanding their influence within the party.
«President Trump supercharged ICE to remove criminal illegal aliens from our communities, including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members and terrorists,» White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said. «Meanwhile, radical Democrats want to go back to their extreme open border policies and grant amnesty to the illegal aliens they released into our communities. Not only will these radical policies make America less safe, but they will cost the American taxpayer billions of dollars.»
The CEA's estimated $166,716 lifetime taxpayer cost per illegal immigrant exceeds the roughly $124,000 it would cost to put a student through four years at an average in-state public university, including tuition, housing, food and other expenses, according to College Board's 2025–26 figures. The comparison puts the figure in perspective as American families also grapple with college affordability.
The council added that while illegal immigrants are generally prohibited from federal benefit programs, some on the left want to reverse that standard and provide subsidized healthcare and programs like food stamps to those in the country unlawfully.
An interactive White House webpage released alongside the report allows Americans to explore the projected costs of «socialism» across several policy areas, with the council estimating that the Democratic Socialists of America's broader agenda could cost $49 trillion over ten years — roughly $355,000 per American household. That sweeping projection extends far beyond immigration, which the council separately estimates could cost between $440 billion and $613 billion over the next decade.
Along with the report, the White House highlighted a 73% uptick in drug interdictions through August 2026 compared with the same period in fiscal year 2024, while separately pointing to declining fentanyl-related deaths as evidence of its broader border enforcement strategy. The administration also remarked that Temporary Protected Status for certain foreign-national groups «returned to its original purpose: temporary.»
The administration's efforts to terminate TPS designations for certain countries have faced legal challenges, underscoring the ongoing dispute over the scope of federal immigration authority. As President Donald Trump touts 16 consecutive months without illegal immigrant releases at the southern border, the report is likely to intensify the debate over immigration policy and its fiscal consequences in the lead-up to the midterms.