Illegal Immigrants And The Free-Rider Problem

The free-rider problem is when individuals have access to goods or services that they have contributed very little or nothing towards this access. The free-rider problem includes government provided public goods or services. There are numerous public services that citizens of the U.S. contribute money by their income taxes. Some of these services include access to public education, library, roads, bridges, social welfare services, medical care, and national defense.

Illegal immigration is related to the free-rider problem because it assumes that these people are not contributing money through income taxes into the government. If illegal immigrants can’t get a social security number in order to get a job, then how are they affording to stay here? The answer is they will find places that pay them ‘under the table,’ which means people will pay them cash and not report them to the IRS for income tax purposes. …show more content…
This then means that illegal Immigrants are granted the right to attend public schools which is another form of the free rider problem as this adds additional cost to the education system but not adding any monetary contribution. Emergency medical care is another large expense that can be utilized and no money paid for the services. Children born to Illegal Immigrants in the US are American Citizens, thus the Illegal Immigrant is now eligible for various welfare services to support the American born