Immigrants are taking up spots on Forbes 400

If illegal immigrants filed federal income taxes, they wouldn't likely owe anything.

In fact, most of them would probably receive a refund.

Remember that when you hear a politician demanding that illegals pay their taxes.


I think that's probably right from a limited, personal income tax perspective, but what about employer payroll taxes? I think there is some meaningful loss of tax revenue where employers hire undocumented workers on some cash or under the table arrangement that would have otherwise resulted in payroll taxes. Those payroll taxes fund Medicare, SS, and other similar programs. Though illegals don't usually benefit directly from those programs (despite some scare tactics or other unfounded claims by immigration opponents), they could nonetheless benefit from programs that receive some of that funding (open medical clinics, for instance).