Donald Trump‘s proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States could cost the country billions each year, according to a new study.
Council on Foreign Relations researchers project that banning Muslims from entering the U.S. could cost upwards of $71 billion in travel, tourism and education spending each year.
The ban would damage communities and services dependent on tourism and could cost between 50,000 and 135,000 jobs, according to the research.
The departure of Muslim international students from American colleges and universities could cost $4.6 billion, roughly 15 percent of foreign student spending in the United States.
There could be a loss of between 4.5 million and 9.3 million visitors annually, the authors predicted, citing data from the Pew Foundation, federal agencies and post-9/11 American tourism statistics.
Trump proposed a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslim foreign nationals entering the U.S. He has since called for “extreme vetting” but has not detailed a specific screening process.
The authors said there’s no reason to think those actions would be unconstitutional, but a blanket ban could cause damage throughout the U.S. economy.
“Any external shock to travel spending could have significant knock-on effects to local communities, particularly where tourism is an important element of the economy,” wrote lead author Edward Alden.
“Supply chains would be disrupted, spending would fall, and the decline in local government revenue could have substantial effects on economic activity and the ability of the government to provide services,” he wrote.
The authors noted that tourism spending has a multiplier effect on broader U.S. commerce. Each dollar spent on leads to $1.25 in indirect spending, according to a U.S. Travel Association study.