Immigration and public services

In a post in immigration libertarian economist Russ Roberts writes:

"One listener to my commentary on immigration asked me if I locked my house. A prudent person, he argued, keeps out some types of people (criminals) while welcoming others (friends and painters, say). My co-blogger Don pointed out that the real analogy is that the anti-immigrant people want to put a lock on my house letting OTHERS control who comes in and out. I want to let in the house painter from Guatemala but the anti-immigrant people don't want me to hire him."

This argument would be valid if we lived in a libertarian utopia. Unfortunately, if we let an unskilled immigrant into our country, he has a right to government services paid for by U.S. citizens. Consequently, when the U.S. government lets in unskilled immigrants the government really is allowing the immigrant to take some wealth from each American's household.