The Texas state comptroller’s office has released a report that will satisfy and disappoint those on both sides of the immigration debate. It seems that in the state of Texas, undocumented immigrants

“have boosted the state’s economy by $17.7 billion and haven’t been a drain on state government.”

The downside? The same report says that they cost local governments $929 million in 2005.

This report is, according to the Houston Chronicle, the first attempt to reconcile the cost vs. benefit of undocumented immigrants in the state of Texas. Now, it’s opening up a can of worms in the Texas legislature:

Overall, the survey found undocumented immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in state services.

But the report’s results quickly became part of a brewing legislative debate over whether it is right for people who are in the country illegally to receive services paid for by citizens and legal resident taxpayers.

The rhetorical conundrum never ends, and has people on both sides of the debate questioning the system. Should the undocumented receive services since they pay taxes? Is immigration a state or federal issue? Should states have to pay for what essentially is a federal responsibility? Could state economies even survive without undocumented immigrants? And if the answer to the last question is “no”, are all the other questions null?

Via / MySanAntonio.com and HispanicTips