Shocking daily cost of [illegal alien] child migrants

Article publisher: 
MSN.com
Article date: 
17 July 2014
Article category: 
National News
Medium
Article Body: 

As US lawmakers grapple with ways to slash spending, many were shocked to learn authorities are spending $250 to $1,000 per day to care for each minor apprehended crossing the US border.

[...] "One of the figures that sticks in everybody's mind is we're paying about $250 to $1,000 per child," Senator Jeff Flake told reporters ...

Federal authorities are struggling to find more cost-effective housing, medical care, counseling and legal services for the undocumented minors.

The base cost per bed was $250 per day, including other services, Senator Dianne Feinstein said, without providing details.

"It goes up to $1,000 per day if you have to contract temporarily," she added. "That's what they're trying to avoid."

Senator Marco Rubio, who like Flake is a Republican who helped craft a comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate but has died in the House, said lawmakers "were shocked at the figures."

"I think now we're starting to see the human costs and the economic costs of providing care for those who have entered the country illegally, and it behooves us to address this as quickly as possible'' ...
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