Mediaboss Marketing

Were you aware that many illegal immigrants pay millions of dollars in taxes to our government each year through payroll deduction? According to a CNN report, out of the nearly 11.1 million undocumented immigrants estimated to be living in the U.S., the information that they gathered from Pew Research showed that there were about 8 million in the workforce in 2014. Nearly half, or 3.4 million, of those workers paid social security taxes, according to 2014 estimates from the Social Security Administration. And while the agency doesnt have a figure for how much this group paid in taxes that year, it said that unauthorized immigrant workers and their employers contributed $13 billion in payroll taxes in 2010, its most current estimate.

In a documentary hosted by Charles Barclay which aired on TNT cable network recently, he interviewed a Hispanic family where the father held down two full-time jobs for many years. Taxes were taken out of both of his paychecks just like any normal American; federal taxes like Social Security, state taxes, unemployment taxes, etc. The dad pointed out that he does not have a social security number but he was given a Tax Identification Number to pay his taxes. This same person cannot collect any benefits from the government without a social security number. I found that fact very interesting.

These immigrant families come to the United States because they are trying to escape political and economic oppression in their country. They want a better life for their family and will risk coming here as an illegal immigrant to do so. It costs money and takes years to apply for a green card to come to the United States, money that a lot of these people dont have to get through the process. And those who do save the money, get to a certain point in the process and are turned away only to have to save more money to re-apply. If you are from another country, you know it can be a vicious cycle.

These illegal immigrants pay into the system and they are helping to sustain Social Security. Some Americans are ready for them to be drop-kicked back into their country. Isnt it amazing that the government can somehow issue a Tax Identification Number for these people to pay their taxes but they cannot work with them to become naturalized citizens or permanent residents?

Michelle (who wishes to go only by her first name) is originally from Jamaica. She said illegal immigrants who pay into the system through their taxes should be giving back to the system. She explained that from her understanding of the process, the Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that people including unauthorized immigrants pay taxes even if they do not have a social security number and regardless of their immigration status. ITINs allow the IRS to bring in billions of dollars the federal government otherwise would have no way of collecting.

Many people might question the fairness of an illegal immigrant paying taxes without being able to get the same benefits as a citizen or a permanent resident, she said. This becomes an interesting question to ponder. From my perspective it is fair. As the daughter of an immigrant that came to American legally, I know all of the sacrifices that they had to make to come into this country the correct way. While I dont agree with some of the deportation practices, I do think that withholding certain benefits until an immigrant has the correct legal status is fair. I certainly think having to pay taxes and not getting certain benefits is used as a deterrent for individuals to work toward becoming legal and not remain in this country as illegal immigrant workers. Bottom line is, if you come into this country legally, you should be entitled to receive more benefits than those who chose to enter illegally, she said.

Michelle makes some very good points but it still tears me up to hear these original Americans (who evidently do not have family members who were immigrants to this country) shouting, go back where you came from. If they go back through their family history, they more than likely will find an illegal immigrant or two or maybe even three. Why dont they go back where they came from?

Have a little compassion for your fellow man. You all would do the same thing. That is why people came up with the expression, walk a mile in my shoes.

Original post:
Caribbean Currents: Is taxing illegal immigrants before citizenship fair? - The Philadelphia Tribune