I need ammo to refute anti-immigrant arguments.

[Aristus]

In what ways, other than sales taxes, do undocumented immigrants living and working in the US pay taxes?

We all know the old chestnut this needs to refute: "Well you know, they're all on welfare and they don't pay any taxes, either!"

Help, please.

[jehop61]

1. Many employers

take out payroll and fica from their checks, but the workers never file income tax returns and get refunds due them.

[Aristus]

2. Thanks. I've heard that, but how are employers able to do that if their workers don't have

social security numbers or other forms of documentation?

[jberryhill]

3. Apparently, the same way they "they're all on welfare"

[Aristus]

4. Details. I need details. Do employers falsify documentation in order to deduct payroll

taxes from their undocumented employees? Is this documentation that stands up to the scrutiny of business-owner tax review? Is the possibility that it won't stand up to IRS review why undocumented immigrants don't file for a return?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

5. They get false SSN's

I cooked in a restaurant for 5 years with a guy who was using an illegal name and ssn. He got busted, was gone a month or so and ended up back with a new name! Of course, he never filed taxes or collected any ssn benefits.............

[Aristus]

6. So the perennial repuke screech: "They're breakin' th'law!" applies more to employers

than their employees.

And, of course, no one goes after the employers. It's easier to go after people who are defenseless, powerless, far from home, and frightened...

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

8. Precisely!

[Angel Martin]

10. No-match letters are really the responsibility of the employee

when the employer submits the employee's record of earnings (and deducted taxes) to the Social Security Administration, they also submit name, date of birth and social security number.

if the employee is working under someone else's social security number, and using false name, the name and date of birth will be a non-match to the social security file.

the employer has to inform the employee of the non-match and confirm that he is spelling the employee's name correctly.

after that, it is the responsibility of the employee to get his social security record amended so it matches.

the employer can't take any adverse action against the employee, in fact it would be a serious breach of anti-discrimination laws if they did.

http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc/pdf/publications/SSA/FAQs.pdf

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

7. Here's some info

from the Atlantic.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/12/the-cost-of-amnesty-obama-executive-order-earned-income-tax-credit/383405/

Poor people who enter the country are "generally" net takers, not net givers, especially if they have children. The cost of an education alone, free breakfast, free lunch, a couple of visits to the emergency room, etc. and you can see how it easily adds up. However, we should take a closer look at the next generation to see how they do, imo. You can't expect people who pick our lettuce to contribute much more than their labor.

The average taxpayer benefits from cheaper fruits and veggies, among other things, but as always, it's the corporations who benefit most.

[okaawhatever]

9. The last immigration bill would have reduced the deficit, plus we need more workers for social

security:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/06/18/cbo-report-immigration-reform-will-shrink-deficit-and-grow-economy


CBO estimates that fixing our broken immigration system will reduce federal deficits by about $200 billion over the next 10 years, and about $700 billion in the second decade. The CBO analysis made clear that the additional taxes paid by new and legalizing immigrants would not only offset any new spending, but would be substantial enough to reduce the deficit over the 20-year window. A significant portion of the new taxes would be paid by previously undocumented immigrants. While many of these workers already pay federal taxes, millions more will pay payroll taxes once they are able to obtain legal status and work above board.

CBO also found that commonsense immigration reform will increase real GDP by 3.3% in 2023, and 5.4% in 2033, a real increase of roughly $700 billion in 2023 and $1.4 trillion in 2033, due to higher labor force participation, increased capital investment, and increased productivity resulting from “technological advancements, such as new innovations and improvements in the production process.”