A profile of poverty in America - 2006

A new report shows that the United States is actually importing poverty, most of it from Mexico. Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) says that's why U.S. real median incomes are lagging and why poverty rates are stubbornly high.

Heritage Foundation economist Robert Rector recently showed that:

• Immigrants, though just 17 percent of the population, represent 25% of all poverty.
• By far the highest poverty rate is among Hispanic immigrants, mostly from Mexico.
• One-quarter of Hispanic arrivals earn below the poverty income level - $15,219 for a family of three; and most come here illegally.

Contrary to claims of a "shrinking middle class" and the "end of the American dream," the vast majority of American citizens in fact are doing very well, and have been for decades, says IBD.

Last year, the U.S. median annual household income was $46,326 after inflation -- up a third since the mid-1960s. Forbes reporter Tom Van Riper recently noted that since 1995, average household wealth has soared 35 percent to $465,970.

It's mostly illegals -- whose numbers are pegged from 12 million to 20 million -- who are faring poorly.

So is the percentage of those without health care coverage some 43.6 percent of all noncitizens have no insurance versus 13.4 percent for those born here; for Mexicans, the number without insurance is 54 percent.

Why does this matter?  The National Academy of Sciences estimates that every immigrant lacking a high school degree will cost U.S. taxpayers $89,000 during his life, net of taxes paid. The academy further reckons total costs for illegals economy-wide could be as much as $2 trillion.