Senate bill would legalize millions, cut the rate of illegal immigration by only 25 percent

The Senate immigration bill, if enacted, would provide legal status for the more than 12 million illegal aliens now living in the U.S., but would cut the rate of new illegal immigration by only 25 percent, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reported.

The CBO provides official cost estimates for most bills voted on by Congress. The estimates are based on studies of past programs and evaluation of each bill's requirements. Many of the legislation's new guest workers would overstay their time, the report said. 'We anticipate that many would remain in the United States illegally after their visas expire," the CBO said.

The CBO report said it was 'uncertain' how much future illegal immigration would be cut by the bill. Past enforcement measures, it said, have 'historically been relatively ineffective,' but it said the bill's enforcement measures would have some effect. 'CBO estimates that those measures would reduce the net annual flow of unauthorized immigrants by one-quarter,' the CBO said.

With up to an estimated one million illegal aliens currently entering each year, CBO is assuming a large problem would remain.