Immigrants are taking up spots on Forbes 400 (1 Viewer)

[Goatman Saint]

They do pay sales taxes same as you or I. Any taxes they do pay, there is no way they file a return as they are not going to do anything to get the IRS attention. As far as their lifestyle on the taxpayers, you seem to be confusing illegals and legally here yet brown skinned. Illegals do not use community services such as medical because they either don't have the cash, or they don't want to go to a system where they are going to have to put down some form of ID. I challenge any of you to live like an undocumented worker for two weeks and enjoy all the benefits of it


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[superchuck500]

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).

 

[WhoDatPhan78]

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).

I agree there. Employers are the ones who are taking from the country by employing people who aren't authorized to work in the country. Employers are the "bad guys" with regard to our jobs being "stolen". We should do a better job of enforcing the law against them, but that's not as politically convenient as just blaming it on immigrants who can't vote.

There is a problem with aliens who are paid under the table qualifying for means tested benefits because their income is not reported that they might not qualify for if their cash income was properly reported.

 

[V Chip]

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).

But what does that have to do with illegal immigration?

If an employer is going to pay under the table, they can do that with US workers, too. The problem isn't the illegal (or legal) workers, it's the business that is paying under the table. Those businesses are also not paying their share into the payroll taxes (OASDI) or other programs. Maybe one day we'll start to actually punish the companies that are deliberately breaking the law to make more profits for ownership and creating the demand for the under the table market as opposed to workers trying to make enough to get by.

EDIT: I hadn't read samiam's response yet. Piling on, 15 yards! :/

 

[El Caliente]

A politician will look at those last two posts and respond with, "You guys are horrible. Why are you going after the small business owners in this country?" It really is frustrating how illegals are used as a boogeyman for so many people.

 

[coldseat]

2. While here did they pay any sort of state or federal income tax? If they bought food or gas, yes they paid taxes. That's not income tax, that's sales tax and some states do not have it at all or it is very minimal.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-01/study-undocumented-immigrants-pay-billions-in-taxes

Immigrants illegally in the U.S. collectively contribute nearly $12 billion each year to state and local tax coffers, according to a new report that challenges recent election cycle rhetoric.

The study from the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy found that immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission kick in their billions in the form of income, property, sales or excise taxes.

The Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy's study found that individuals lacking legal permission to be in the U.S. consistently receive lower wages than their immigrant counterparts who are in the country legally, which inherently limits how much they pay in terms of income taxes. The report estimates the average income of an "undocumented family" is a little more than $30,000, well below the country's median household income of around $54,000, according to the Census Bureau.

However, when looking at the share of total income paid in taxes, the institute's report estimates the average tax rate for immigrants in the country illegally is higher than the rate paid by America's top earners.

"Undocumented immigrants' nationwide average effective tax rate is an estimated 8 percent," the report said. "To put this in perspective, the top 1 percent of taxpayers pay an average nationwide effective tax rate of just 5.4 percent."

FYI

 

[superchuck500]

But what does that have to do with illegal immigration?

If an employer is going to pay under the table, they can do that with US workers, too. The problem isn't the illegal (or legal) workers, it's the business that is paying under the table. Those businesses are also not paying their share into the payroll taxes (OASDI) or other programs. Maybe one day we'll start to actually punish the companies that are deliberately breaking the law to make more profits for ownership and creating the demand for the under the table market as opposed to workers trying to make enough to get by.

EDIT: I hadn't read samiam's response yet. Piling on, 15 yards! :/

The context for my response was what I thought was a comment about undocumented aliens in the US and their relationship with taxation. Yes, payroll tax is owed by the employer and the unscrupulous employer is the problem - and I fully support enforcement against those employers. But it's part of the problem of having a labor pool that is undocumented and needs to work under the table just as much as the unscrupulous employer wants to operate that way. "US workers" are likely far less willing.

All just part of the fabric, that's all I'm saying.