Undocumented Immigrants Pay More in Taxes Than They Receive in Benefits

Monday 03 May 2010

by: Alberto Ponce de León | El Diario de El Paso (the United States)

Undocumented Immigrants Pay More in Taxes Than They Receive in Benefits
(Photo: jvoves / Flickr)

During their working life, undocumented immigrants in the United States will pay, on average, approximately $80,000 more in taxes per capita than they use in government services, owing to the fact that they are not eligible to take advantage of almost all of the social service programs offered by the federal government, according to a study released by the National Council of La Raza.

According to the report, in June of 2007, the president's Council of Economic Advisers stated that the "impact of undocumented immigration on public budgets is likely to be very positive."

The report cites the Texas Comptroller's disclosure that, in 2006, undocumented immigrants paid about $424.7 million more in state revenues - including sales tax and school property tax - than they used in state services, including education and health care.

In addition to sales and property taxes, [an estimated three-quarters] of undocumented immigrants also pay payroll taxes through the use of false Social Security numbers.

According to statistics from the National Council of La Raza, these employees contribute approximately $7 billion to Social Security and $1.5 billion to Medicare every year, despite the fact that they are ineligible to receive these benefits. These numbers serve to counter arguments, promoted by anti-immigration forces, that undocumented immigrants are a drain on the state.

"These immigrants' contributions to these programs are collected by the federal government to help it meet its goals," according to the National Council of La Raza.

According to the national report, the majority of undocumented laborers also receive a very low salary, and often have no protections against workplace abuse.

In 2005, more than 1.5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States worked as either housekeepers or domestic laborers. Because of their legal status, these immigrants received an average weekly salary of $355 in 2006. The national average for this line of work in that same year was $671 a week.

Another challenge confronting undocumented workers in the United States is the fact that they often find themselves living below the poverty level, yet, unable to apply for economic assistance programs [such as food stamps, SCHIP and Medicaid] that low-income people with legal status are eligible to receive.

In El Paso, Texas, with the aim of rectifying workplace abuse and the exploitation of undocumented laborers, the Paso Del Norte Civil Rights Project launched the Economic Justice Program in September of 2009. Within a month of the program's initiation, at least five El Paso workers, the majority of whom are undocumented, had won labor disputes against their former employers through negotiations with the assistance of the organization.

Chris Benoit, a legal representative of the organization, believes that workers' rights are human rights, regardless of the migratory status of the individual.

Translation: Ryan Croken.

Ryan Croken is a freelance writer and editor based in Chicago. His essays and book reviews have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Z Magazine and ReligionDispatches.org. He can be reached at ryan.croken@gmail.com.

All republished content that appears on Truthout has been obtained by permission or license.

Comments

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More lies from "truthout" to

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 13:15 — JD (not verified)

More lies from "truthout" to please their corporate sponsors. One must suspect data presented (twisted) by "la raza". How did this Texas controller know which came from "illegals"? Why wasn't the exact document cited?

Any high school grad can figure out that most of our taxes do not come back in services, but disappear into the military, police, fire and other general services.

I expect truthout to pull this garbage and post an apology.

I don't care if they pay

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 14:25 — radline9 (not verified)

I don't care if they pay taxes or not. Anyone who is residing on American soil should have the same benefits, especially in healthcare. In education, they should have the same rights as any other child.

these statistics are

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 15:06 — to JD (not verified)

these statistics are available anywhere. i saw them in an article from Reason Magazine (a libertarian publication). the fact that you're willing to reiterate smears about La Raza that you heard from FOX NEWS or Lou Dobbs means that YOU should post an apology.

http://reason.org/news/show/122411.html

also, the military, the police and fire forces ARE services. and even if we spend far too much on military spending, medicare and social security DO exist, as do schools and roads, so what the heck are you talking about?

thank you. there is

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 15:21 — Anonymous (not verified)

thank you. there is absolutely NO economic argument against legalizing the status of the undocumented population in this country. people are simply afraid of a large influx of people who are mostly of darker skin than white folks and speak a different language. i say the United States should start loving its neighbor as itself, especially since US shenanigans are partially to blame for all of the immigrants fleeing their gorgeous tropical poverty-plagued paradises to come work here and be treated by dirt in the tradition of the same old nativist response that has been so unwelcoming to every wave of immigration through the brief history of this nation of immigrants.

While I harbor no resentment

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 15:37 — Chad (not verified)

While I harbor no resentment toward La Raza, I must admit that citing them as the primary source for this information makes it less persuasive. If the infromation is available from other sources, I'd suggest citing one that seems less obviously interested in shaping people's attitudes about illegal immigration.

can someone tell me how the

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 15:37 — Anonymous (not verified)

can someone tell me how the majority of the united states can support the AZ law.

The majority of the United

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 16:07 — Anonymous (not verified)

The majority of the United States is uninformed, scared and at least a little racist.

In the 1850's while white

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 17:02 — Anonymous (not verified)

In the 1850's while white immigrants were calling for the deportation or extermination of the Chinese, the Miner's Tax, levied only on the Chinese was 1/4 to 1/3 the entire California budget.

While the Chinese immigrants were fully employed by their own ingenuity, the white immigrants were unemployed and living off the system. Yet who called for their deportation?

Did the white politicians think? No. Then came the Exclusion Act forbidding the immigration of Chinese - the only act of its kind ever - so far.

Don't white people know that they're here because at one point one of their ancestors was an immigrant - even illegal immigrant? White people aren't the sole 'owners' of America.

this is important info. the

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 17:36 — Anonymous (not verified)

this is important info. the only reason why white people are wary of "La Raza" is bc Republicans and their allies tried to smear it--a la ACORN--during the Sotomayor stuff. she served on their board and she is by no means a radical, despite what paranoid reactionaries might have you believe. La Raza, in the article, is citing the US Government, and if you look around a bit, you can see that the basic information in this article is being noted by a lot of journalists because it completely annihilates the "immigrants-mooching-off-the-state" myth. thanks for helping pass this truth along.

I believe La Raza has a

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 18:09 — Anonymous (not verified)

I believe La Raza has a number of very conservative, Republican connections. Particularly evidenced during the health care debacle, since obviously, when you bring such large pools of illegal labor into the country, you must provide them with health care, and health care that's out of sight from the rest of the population. If you think there's no economic argument, you're quite out of it. Illegal labor is a way the corporations profit at the expense of American workers, and at the expense of the countries being drained by trade agreements like NAFTA. La Raza was, btw, was quite chummy with some of the Republicans during the earlier part of the health care discussions. Connect the dots please, "progressives."

As an American, I pay much

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 18:12 — Anonymous (not verified)

As an American, I pay much more in taxes than I receive in benefits. Just for starters, where's the health care?

Bail out the bankers. Bring the insurance companies 30 million new customers. Bail out the employers who hired illegally. Bail out the illegal workers.

Where's the Fing health care for the American people CONGRESS?

It is not just the services

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 19:48 — Anonymous (not verified)

It is not just the services illegal immigrants use that is the problem. It is also the money they send across the border (leaving our economy)!

We have enough ways money leaves our shores - interest on the national debt is a big one (paid to overseas investors), the trade deficit is another (from all those Chinese products we buy), and from payroll on jobs done by outsourced employees (in India and Bulgaria or where ever).

The problem with our recession, the weakness of our economy, and the scarcity of good jobs is all caused by money leaving our shores instead of spent or invested here. Why don't we see that?

No Other Country On This

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 19:50 — Bill O'Rights (not verified)

No Other Country On This Earth that has built any kind of wealth is so passive with regard to illegal immigration - any other place, you get the boot pronto. Try getting government healthcare in Mexico for free sometime while your down there. And they don't turn them away here - they show up at the Emergency room and get very expensive health care for free - happens all day long. T.O. is showing a very low standard of Journalism in printing this article with such a flimsy authority quoted. There is widespread violence against US citizens - racist attacks carried out by illegal immigrants - that are reported in local news and never in the MSM. Or T.O.

Where's Equal Protection

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 20:05 — Bill O'Rights (not verified)

Where's Equal Protection Under The Law? Note that down here near the border, at least, the laws are not even enforced against illegals - I know a fellow who took out four newish cars in the parking lot of a dance hall and all he got was a slap on the wrist! They didn't deport him - he paid a $300 fine and was told he 'better not drive again'. He had a fake driver's license and a fake insurance ID card. No criminal penalty. I'd have been thrown in jail and paid a big fine - in Mexico, I would have been thrown in jail for sure. This article presents a very distorted picture of reality, at least regarding the reality in S. Texas. We can't even afford entitlements for US citizens, much less illegal immigrants - and we have a real unemployment rate of over 22% currently - what the hell are we doing allowing all these people in? Realize that FDR kicked out most of the foreign DOCUMENTED workers as a measure to help American Citizens Back on their feet. And for those who consider this an issue of compassion, by analogy, do you lock your door at night? Is any uninvited stranger welcome to come in your back door and help themselves to your refrigerator? Wake up and smell the coffee - we're bankrupt already. Those who try to make it about race miss the point.

Of course they pay more and

Fri, 05/07/2010 - 22:14 — Anonymous (not verified)

Of course they pay more and use less in government services. What your article did not look at is the services they do use are primarily local and state run, and the fact that they are using a stolen id in order to work. So because of illegals, our unemployment rate is higher, AND, many peoples lives are ruined.

I'm so sick and tired of

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 00:20 — Anonymous (not verified)

I'm so sick and tired of hearing about things being turned into a racial slur. No matter what the damn conversation is it always turns into someone talking about race being the issue. It's NOT!!! And if you use it like that then you are the one who is racist. This country is built on many different cultures. We need to pull together not tear it apart. Everyone should live by the same laws. So if you are here illegally you need to get legal or get out. Doesn't matter what color you are.

Remittances actually help

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 01:54 — Anonymous (not verified)

Remittances actually help the US economy. they increase the purchasing power of people south of the border, which increases the demand for and capability of foreigners to purchase US exports.

JD->.SS# no later tax filing

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 10:43 — Anonarcmous (not verified)

JD->.SS# no later tax filing on them are prob illegal. Also$ income to SS# of people that are deceased, incapacitated, too young or old are prob going to be of an illegal source. There is a paper trail.LaRaza or anyone else doing research should list their sources so they are verifiable.Of course LaRaza & not FOX news would be motivated in doing such research.Of course, we should really examine why we educated & encourage moneyed immigrants but only use & d/c the poor ones. How many all-white or 'anywhite' construction or landscaping companies are there in TX, or AZ for that matter??

If they are undocumented,

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 15:07 — Beli Mawr (not verified)

If they are undocumented, they do not have the documents used to file taxes, so this is a lie. BTW, all illegals are eligible for grants, too, so they do get around it. And this little lie is a way to get around the fact that for those illegals ,they receive 8,000$ more in benefits than they contribute in labor, so it's doubly a lie.

Remittances do not help the US economy, as they purchase goods locally, not from us.

More typical lies coming

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 16:35 — Anonymous (not verified)

More typical lies coming from La Raza and progressives (which I can be at times) in total denial that there is a problem caused by illegal or any immigration. In a lifetime, the average American consumes more resources than any human elsewhere, thus forcing a demand for more resources so we can either go to war over things like oil or bananas, of cap our growth. If that means no more immigration, then the best farm soils on the earth are preserved for growing food for all, not subdivisions. Dr. Borjas at Harvard already calculated that immigrants use in one year, more than $95 Billion dollars in human services than they pay out in taxes earned. Ask any emergency room doctor if free e-room services are a problem for the entire health care system. And who taught non-English speakers our language years ago, for free? not the American taxpayer at large. Quit ignoring the true costs of immigration.

hey, anonymous 21:35, if

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 17:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

hey, anonymous 21:35, if these are typical lies coming from progressives, why are they endorsed by Reason Magazine:

ever since 1996 the IRS has

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 17:56 — Anonymous (not verified)

ever since 1996 the IRS has been issuing ID numbers so that illegals can pay their taxes. immigrants also get the documents necessary to pay their taxes by using fake socials. i highly doubt the government cares about getting extra billions of dollars in income that they don't have to dole out in benefits. our economy is partially dependent on illegal immigration.

Reason . Org? Reason?

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 17:59 — Anonymous (not verified)

Reason . Org? Reason? there's a sucker born every minute and anyone who thinks that the U.S. hasn't outgrown immigration is a sucker.
Mexico (and the U.S.) gets cheated every time that money is sent back because I doubt the Mexican government can pull taxes out of those stipends: losses in both countries. Fixes are needed, on both sides of the southern border.

yes, reason.org, the

Sat, 05/08/2010 - 18:48 — Anonymous (not verified)

yes, reason.org, the conservative libertarian thinktank. i cite them to point out that the economic realities laid out in this article above are not the biased delusions of progressives; they are facts, and they are readily available from sources as far removed as La Raza and Reason, including the US Government, which this article (if you happen to read it) happens to cite. and yes, fixes are needed, but knowing the facts is important before one proceeds in putting forth viable solutions. given that the economic argument against comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for those who have been here busting their butts and contributing to our culture and economy, what i see in the way of opposition is a bunch of paranoid, willfully misinformed white people who are scared of not being the majority in this country.

bottom line; either we

Sun, 05/09/2010 - 04:01 — Anonymous (not verified)

bottom line; either we secure our borders or make Mexico the 51 state

i think it would be a good

Sun, 05/09/2010 - 11:36 — Anonymous (not verified)

i think it would be a good idea to make mexico a state. then we could have some decent beaches seeing as how we have just ruined about a quarter of our own.

"Undocumented immigrants"?

Mon, 05/10/2010 - 00:20 — John R. (not verified)

"Undocumented immigrants"? I'm pretty sure you mean Illegal. And I don't care if they pay taxes or not, they are still breaking the law. They should be treated the same as any other criminals and should definitely not be winning lawsuits! Go Arizona, uphold the law!!

right, John R. because all

Mon, 05/10/2010 - 23:47 — Anonymous (not verified)

right, John R. because all laws make sense and are infallible and should never be challenged and made to stand before the light of facts, common sense of human decency. slavery comes to mind as a top notch example.

Humanoid overbreeding is the

Tue, 05/11/2010 - 06:35 — Pat Kittle (not verified)

Humanoid overbreeding is the world's greatest problem, and too bad if you're afraid to confront it.

I'm not. That's why I consciously remained childless. If non-humans could vote, it's doubtful they would vote for even more humanoids.

BTW, I never voted (so far) for a Republican in over 40 years of voting. It so happens that the vast majority of Americans are fed up with endless population growth shoved down our throats by the supremely arrogant open borders lobby.

80k more in taxes than used

Tue, 05/11/2010 - 18:40 — Anonymous (not verified)

80k more in taxes than used in services PER CAPITA??? What a load of crap! Do you know how much you have to earn to even pay 80k in taxes???? This author is a fool, just like La Raza. Pulling stats out of their asses.
Call them what they are ILLEGALS!!! Kick them all out, that would also free up 1/3 of our prisons and save the US taxpayers billions!
As for not having access to gov services, that is a load of shit!!!! They use A LOT of those services. I've been in that business and had access to their info. I've seen them collect food stamps, welfare, and even SSI. Not to mention their children are getting a free education. The overwhelming majority of illegals are nothing more than locusts!

23:40 - - per capita, per

Wed, 05/12/2010 - 23:16 — Zac in VA (not verified)

23:40 - - per capita, per *lifetime*. If you get a 1000 dollar refund every year, there's at least another 500 that you paid in that you didn't get back, and that's only if you're in a situation where you make close to nothing.

To all those who say this

Fri, 07/16/2010 - 15:45 — Lawrence Seib (not verified)

To all those who say this source is biased try FOX

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/economy/illegal-immigration-provides-benefits-states-despite-rhetoric/

La Raza stating anything

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