"YouNotSneaky" is definitely an "economist", in that it forgot to include everything involved in the equation.
For instance, even the NYT came close to doing an expose on one of the companies that profits from illegal activity, in this case by sending money home. In order to keep their profits up, they've supported politicians who look the other way, and opposed politicians who support our laws. So, when you actually think this through, PoliticalCorruption plays a role in the money sending trade. And, PoliticalCorruption is a definite cost to we Americans.
Yet, oddly enough, "YouNotSneaky" didn't figure that cost into its calculations. Thus it's an "economist" and not an economist.
Of course, many people who profit from illegal activity hide behind "demonized" illegal aliens in order to keep making their money or obtaining PoliticalPower.