Senate's 2013 Immigration Reform Bill Could Cut Illegal Entry By 50%, CBO

The Senate-passed 2013 immigration reform bill would decrease up to 50 percent of illegal entry because of a new border surge amendment, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Previous estimates were that only 25 percent of illegal immigrants would be kept out.

The CBO released revised figures Wednesday, taking into account the new border security bill that helped the “Gang of Eight” push the bill through the upper house last week, 68 to 32. By the nonpartisan group’s estimates, the Senate-approve immigration reform legislation would reduce the net flow of immigrants between 33 percent and 50 percent.

The border surge amendment was brokered by two Republican senators and drew 14 Republicans to the measures. It calls for an additional 20,000 agents on the southern border and the completion of 700 miles of fencing. It will cost more than $30 billion to implement.

“That effect would not be immediate, as it would take several years before DHS could hire the full number of Border Patrol agents called for in the act,” the report said of the reduction in illegal migration.

That’s not the only good news. The bill would lead to a net savings of $135 billion in the first decade and about $685 billion in the second.

"Gang of Eight's" Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the report "once again vindicated immigration reform and shows how the amendment process improved the bill."