Immigration Is Good For The Economy!
What does that inscription on the Statue of Liberty say? "Give me your tired, your poor…our economy’s gone down the toilet so for the love of God send us immigrants.”
Or something like that.
A new study conducted by the San Fransisco Fed found that immigration actually improves employment, wages, and productivity.
According to the study, states with a higher population of immigrants produce more, hire more, and pay workers more than states without as many foreign-born workers. In fact, every one percent increase in employment from immigration causes a .4 to .5 percent increase in income per worker.
The common perception is that immigrants crowd out American workers, but this study found that economies actually expand to absorb the workers. This is in part due to many immigrant workers taking different, more manual-intensive jobs than native-born American workers.
The study gives an example of how this works:
"As young immigrants with low schooling levels take manually intensive construction jobs, the construction companies that employ them have opportunities to expand. This increases the demand for construction supervisors, coordinators, designers, and so on. Those are occupations with greater communication intensity and are typically staffed by U.S.-born workers who have moved away from manual construction jobs. This complementary task specialization typically pushes U.S.-born workers toward better-paying jobs, enhances the efficiency of production, and creates jobs."
While this issue is complicated, it seems as though allowing immigrants to continue to come in is the smarter choice economically. It’s good to remember that America has always been country of immigrants — it’s just that when it was first founded the people moving in came from Europe instead of the South America.
Also, where would America be if immigrants didn’t move here and introduce us to the wonders of tacos and salsa? That would be a sad, sad world.
[Image via WENN.]
Tags: economy, immigration, jobs
It's Here! F#CK You, The Video
Quote Of The Day
BULLSHIT, LIES !!!!! I'm so shocked that this "study" came from the ultra liberal city of San Francsico, NOT !!!!!
Illgeal is Illegal, PERIOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
People who BREAK IN to the USA should not be treated nicely, they broke a MAJOR law to be here ! Would you treat someone who BROKE IN to your home nicely???????? I don't think so !
oooh oooh ooh!
thanks for posting this. very informative and a reminder to us all not to lock the door behind ourselves once we get through. i for one welcome these new hard working americans.
I imagine most of those immigrants are not paying taxes so it falls into the hands of Americans to cover their expenses.
LEGAL immigration is GREAT for this country….too bad it doesn't address the drain of the millions of ILLEGAL immigrants!
Hey fuck head there are plenty of people who come here legally every day. Why is it you libtards all stand on the worng side of every issue??? People who enter illegally should be deported period end of story.
now go suck a cock Mario!!!!
that's fucking bullshit. i live in Canada and the more and more foreign people that come in, it has been so hard for me to find a job. i cant even apply at McDonald's without being shut down cause all they have is brown people working in fast food now. its bullshit
yeah, LEGAL immigrants.
america welcomes LEGAL immigrants with open arms however if you BREAK THE LAW and come here ILLEGALLY, you Will BE PUNISHED.
im sorry but if i illegally crossed borders into canada and then got shot for trespassing the only one i could blame was myself for my own stupidity.
Yes - LEGAL immigration is great for the economy!
Immigration=yes. Illegal immigration=no. This study is bullshit.
IMMIGRATION not ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION you idiot. If immigrants go through the right channels and find employment in the USofA - GREAT! Illegals that jump the border just to drop some kids & suck up resources - BAD. Pretty simple equation.
I like how it looks like someone wrote inmigration and then added a line later to fix it
Don’t like ARIZONA’S new immigration law? Fine. We’ll adopt Mexico’s immigration policies instead, OK?
Let’s take a look at Mexico’s immigration policy. For instance, did you know that:
Mexico deports more illegal aliens that the U.S. annually
Under Mexican law, it is a felony to be an illegal alien in Mexico
Or that immigrants must –
Have the means to sustain themselves economically;
Not be burdens on society;
Be of economic and social benefit to society;
Be of good character and have no criminal records; and
Contribute to the general well being of the nation.
Mexico’s immigration policies also ensure that –
Authorities have a record of each foreign visitor;
Foreign visitors do not violate their visa status;
Foreign visitors are banned from interfering in the country’s internal politics;
Foreign visitors who enter under false pretenses are imprisoned or deported;
Foreign visitors violating the terms of their entry are imprisoned or deported;
Those who aid in illegal immigration will be sent to prison.”
Mexico welcomes only foreigners who will be useful to Mexican society:
Foreigners are admitted into Mexico “according to their possibilities of contributing to national progress.” (Article 32)
Immigration officials must ‘ensure’ that ‘immigrants will be useful elements for the country and that they have the necessary funds for their sustenance’ and for their dependents. (Article 34)
Foreigners may be barred from the country if their presence upsets ‘the equilibrium of the national demographics,’ when foreigners are deemed detrimental to ‘economic or national interests,’ when they do not behave like good citizens in their own country, when they have broken Mexican laws, and when ‘they are not found to be physically or mentally healthy.’ (Article 37)
The Secretary of Governance may ‘suspend or prohibit the admission of foreigners when he determines it to be in the national interest.’ (Article 38)
Mexican authorities must keep track of every single person in the country:
Federal, local and municipal police must cooperate with federal immigration authorities upon request, i.e., to assist in the arrests of illegal immigrants. (Article 73)
A National Population Registry keeps track of ‘every single individual who comprises the population of the country,’ and verifies each individual’s identity. (Articles 85 and 86)
A national Catalog of Foreigners tracks foreign tourists and immigrants (Article 87), and assigns each individual with a unique tracking number (Article 91).
Foreigners with fake papers, or who enter the country under false pretenses, may be imprisoned:
Foreigners with fake immigration papers may be fined or imprisoned. (Article 116)
Under Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony. The General Law on Population says,
A penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of three hundred to five thousand pesos will be imposed on the foreigner who enters the country illegally. (Article 123)
Foreigners with legal immigration problems may be deported from Mexico instead of being imprisoned. (Article 125)
Foreigners who ‘attempt against national sovereignty or security’ will be deported. (Article 126)
Mexicans who help illegal aliens enter the country are themselves considered criminals under the law.
A Mexican who marries a foreigner with the sole objective of helping the foreigner live in the country is subject to up to five years in prison. (Article 127)
Shipping and airline companies that bring undocumented foreigners into Mexico will be fined. (Article 132)”
How dare Mexico reprimand the United States for our treatment of illegal aliens? Copy this blog and send it to your Congressman, your Senators and your friends who think things like national sovereignty, secure borders, and protecting the lives and property of Americans is not the right thing to do in these politically correct, multicultural times.
Illegals get undeserved tax benefits. The 1999 report appears to include extensive commentary on the ITIN applications of 340,000 illegal aliens, but most of it was redacted. The IRS�s objective may be to collect tax revenue from the broadest base possible � a laudable goal. Ironically, however, this has resulted in the IRS ignoring illegals� presence in the United States. One of the reasons why illegals are issued ITINs is that IRS regulations determine resident alien status based on "substantial presence" in the United States, not legal residence. Thus, illegal aliens who file tax returns are treated in the same way as legal foreign residents and receive the same tax benefits, such as spousal exemptions, child and education tax credits. The one exception seems to be the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is available to legal permanent residents but which the IRS decided would not be available to illegal aliens.
Intended or not, it is clear that a significant number of illegal aliens are receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit. This is talked about quite openly by their advocates. Moreover, in its publications the IRS is signaling that this is a problem. One of three bullet points at the top of Form W-7 used to apply for an ITIN reads: "Receipt of an ITIN does not make you eligible to claim the earned income credit (EIC)."5
The IRS Provides "Official" Identification to Illegal Aliens
The IRS�s seeming lack of interest in protecting the integrity of the Social Security number from fraudulent use pales to insignificance, however, when faced with the reality that it is responsible for providing a backdoor way for millions of illegal aliens to receive a U.S. government-issued identity number. And it is doing so despite the fact that in 1999 the Treasury Department�s Inspector General for Tax Administration said the decision by the IRS to issue these Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) to illegal aliens "seems counter-productive to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) mission to identify illegal aliens and prevent unlawful entry."4
Genesis of ITINs. The audit report referenced above said that a 1994 IRS investigation uncovered significant compliance problems "with the $80 billion annual nonresident alien U.S. investment income." In response, the IRS created an ITIN for non-resident aliens in order to match information documents showing dividend, interest and other income earned by individuals to the tax returns they file. The IRS began issuing ITINs in July 1996.
As many immigrants as they wish can move into this country, just do so legally. Or, all the celebs who like to bitch about how we need immigrants (and not just to clean their houses and work on their gardens cheaply) need to fork over the cash to legalize those already in our country.
Problem solved
Through its issuance of Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) appears to be blind or indifferent to the reality that it has:
created an official U.S. tax number that illegal aliens are using as identification, thereby making it easier for them to meld unnoticed into our society;
endangered homeland security by issuing ITINs to illegal aliens, without adequately ensuring that they are denied to terrorists, criminals on the FBI database, and those under deportation notices;
exceeded its traditional role as a tax receiver and processor by marketing the ITIN to illegal immigrant communities;
failed to provide adequate safeguards to prevent illegal aliens from receiving tax benefits to which they are not entitled;
subverted U.S. immigration laws by withholding information from the INS and SSA about fraudulent activity of illegal aliens;
provided an ID vehicle that advocates hope will be used to "regularize" illegal aliens; and
withheld from public review data that is relevant to determining the economic contribution of illegal aliens to U.S. society.
The events of September 11, 2001, were a wake-up call to the American people that something must be done to protect our core identity documents. They were shocked to learn that 18 of the 19 terrorists possessed either state-issued or counterfeit driver�s licenses or ID cards and all 19 had obtained Social Security numbers (SSNs) � some real, some fake. The hijackers simply tapped into an enormous market for fraudulent documents that exists because nine million people have successfully breached our borders and now reside here illegally. Their presence has spawned widespread document and identity fraud that threatens our ability to distinguish illegal aliens from U.S. citizens and legal foreign residents.
This realization jolted Congress, many state legislatures, state motor vehicle departments, and the Social Security Administration into taking a variety of steps to protect the integrity of driver�s licenses and Social Security cards � the two most widely used identity documents in the United States � from misappropriation by illegal residents. Much remains to be done, but real progress has been made.
Ironically, however, the IRS, a division of the Treasury Department, is simultaneously working to provide illegal aliens with a U.S. government-issued identity number that obviates the need for a Social Security number. It is called the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Very little public information about these numbers has been made available, even though the IRS began issuing them in July 1996, and over 5,500,000 of them have been issued.
IRS shields illegals from INS. This same audit report said that issuing ITINs to illegal aliens may take on greater significance if the IRS were to come under the scrutiny of Congress. "Illegal alien presence in the United States is a congressional concern which is addressed by legislation in the Welfare Reform Act and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996."7
The Inspector General�s audit also pointed out that the IRS has a policy of shielding illegal immigrants from exposure to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which appears to be in contravention of the express wishes of Congress. "The IRS provides disclosure protection to illegal alien applicants. The Congress has clearly stated how the federal government is to communicate between agencies concerning illegal aliens. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 . . . states that information concerning illegal alien status should be provided to the INS notwithstanding any other law." Subsequent exposition revealed that IRS management believed its own regulations guaranteed the confidentiality of tax return information and did not intend to share any returns with the INS.8
If that is still the position of the IRS, it is even more untenable today. The USA Patriot Act of 2001, passed overwhelmingly by Congress in response to the terrorist attacks on America, explicitly calls for greater information sharing among government agencies, law enforcement and the intelligence community.9
It is not clear if the IRS regulations regarding confidentiality relate specifically to divulging tax information, such as income, number of dependents, etc., or if they also forbid the IRS from sharing even the taxpayer�s name and identification number with another government agency.
It also is unclear if copies (redacted or not) of the Inspector General�s 1999 report were shared with Congressional committees responsible for oversight of the IRS. The report was addressed to the IRS Commissioner and noted that copies also were being sent to IRS managers affected by the report�s recommendations. This distribution approach differs from that followed by the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, who also addresses his reports to the Commissioner while simultaneously distributing copies to a long list of members of Congress whose committees presumably have oversight over SSA.
"For Tax Purposes Only"?
One of three bullet points in the "Before you begin" section on the W-7 form to apply for an ITIN is the following message: "This number is for tax purposes only." That seems fairly straightforward. Yet, it is clear that advocates for illegal immigrants are aggressively pushing use of the ITIN as identification for many other purposes. The website of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), contains a section titled "How Can the ITIN be Used to Show Identity?": "There has been growing interest among immigrants and their advocates in using the ITIN as an alternative to the SSN. Indeed, many immigrant groups are successfully advocating for the use of identity documents other than a SSN in order to obtain drivers� licenses and consumer benefits." NELP goes into extensive detail explaining how illegal immigrants can get around using Social Security numbers.11
Numerous newspaper articles describe how the ITIN is being used to open banking accounts and, in some states, obtain driver�s licenses
Oh please. Just stick to what you know Mario. Lady gaga balls.
The most astonishing example is a news release from Fifth Third Bank, headquartered in Ohio. Announcing an initiative to better serve the unique needs of the Hispanic community, Bradlee F. Stamper, President and Chief Executive Officer proudly boasts: "Our first step � and it�s a crucial one � is to start accepting new means of ID for persons otherwise shut out of the U.S. banking system. Starting now, Fifth Third will honor the Matricula Consular Card issued by the Government of Mexico and the Internal Revenue Service�s Taxpayer Identification Number as legal identification for immigrants who lack proper identification to open savings and checking accounts."15
Matricula consular. Most media stories link the ITIN to the burgeoning use of the matricula consular, a photo ID being issued by the Mexican government to its citizens living illegally in the United States. The Mexican government has been lobbying state and local governments as well as banks to accept the matricula as official identification. But banks need an official U.S. tax number in order to open an interest-bearing account and, by definition, illegal aliens are not legally entitled to a Social Security number. So the Mexican government is pushing the ITIN as an acceptable alternative and, apparently, the IRS has raised no objection.
Other than noting on its own publications that the ITIN is "for tax purposes only," the IRS seemingly has made no effort to contact banks or their regulators or state motor vehicle departments to let them know that the ITIN is not being authenticated in a way that makes it safe as identification. This omission endangers homeland security.
No Risk for Illegals
Media stories and immigrant advocates contend that the IRS has embarked on an aggressive marketing effort to achieve widespread distribution of the ITIN within illegal immigrant communities.16
The Chicago Tribune reported on April 15, 2002, that the "IRS issued more than one million tax IDs last year, up 20 percent from 2000. The agency has issued 4.9 million IDs since it adopted the policy in 1996. [NOTE: As of October 2002, the IRS had issued over 5.5 million ITINs.] Officials presume that most have been issued to illegal aliens, although other people use the IDs as well, such as foreign businessmen working in the United States on short-term projects or foreign relatives still awaiting Social Security numbers. . . .This year, the Chicago IRS office and volunteers have issued thousands of ID numbers through workshops and office visits. Almost 300 immigrants, mainly from Mexico but also from the Middle East and Eastern Europe, pack a typical workshop. The agency is also increasing the number of tax preparers and banks authorized to process ID applications."
Departure from traditional role. This activism seems a strange departure from the IRS�s traditional passive role of receiver and processor of income tax returns. It is one thing for the IRS to interpret its regulations in a way that results in issuing ITINs to illegal aliens. But it is quite another matter to seek them out and cater to them, thereby making a mockery of U.S. immigration laws. It raises the question as to who authorized this policy and at what level it was approved.
The IRS has designated "acceptance agents" who are authorized to assist applicants in obtaining ITINs. IRS�s website describes acceptance agencies as entities, such as colleges, financial institutions, accounting firms, etc. The "etc." is important because it is believed that some acceptance agents are touting the fact that the IRS will not share information with the INS.
This development was anticipated in the 1999 Inspector General�s ITIN audit report, which recommended that: "The IRS needs to include Privacy Act notification on the Form W-7 application form. The Privacy Act notification provides the warning that information can be provided to the Department of Justice within the parameters set by IRC 6103." IRS�s management response to this recommendation was clear cut and affirmative. "A Privacy Act Notice will be added to Form W-7."18 The estimated implementation date was August 31, 1999. As of September 2002, there was no Privacy Act notice on Form W-7.
The Chicago Tribune reported: "Despite growth in the tax IDs, experts say many immigrants will get the IDs only after assurances that immigration authorities will not be involved. . . . 'They think they will get deported,' said Salvador Gonzalez, director of the Midwest Tax Clinic, a Chicago non-profit agency that helps immigrants obtain the IDs. �But now people are losing their fear, and I am very, very happy about this.'"19
Groups that advise advocacy organizations on legal issues also convey the same message, although more carefully couched. In a paragraph titled "What are the risks in applying for and using the ITIN?" the National Employment Law Project gives the following advice: "It is not in the IRS�s tax collection interest to disclose information to the INS. Thus far, advocates have not learned of any specific situations where the IRS has shared information with the INS. However, there is no guarantee that IRS or a state agency would not share this information with the INS."
Delegating Authority to Third Parties
The Inspector General�s report also warned that the IRS had put itself into a bind by permitting acceptance agents to function in a dual role, acting on the IRS�s behalf as well as the illegal immigrant�s. It said that the implementation of the acceptance agents program had gone beyond its regulatory purpose and their role in facilitating the ITIN application process should be re-examined.21 The current IRS application procedures for becoming an acceptance agent indicate there are two categories � acceptance agents and certifying acceptance agents.
The regulations say: "The role of an acceptance agent is to facilitate the application process and issuance of TINs to alien individuals and foreign persons. An acceptance agent performs this duty by forwarding the completed Form W-7 (together with required documentary evidence) to the IRS."22
This contrasts with the significant authority delegated to a "certifying acceptance agent." "A certifying acceptance agent is a person that is authorized under the agreement with the IRS to submit a Form W-7 to the IRS on behalf of an applicant, without having to furnish supporting documentary evidence. Instead, when submitting a Form W-7 to the IRS, a certifying acceptance agent certifies to the IRS that it has reviewed the appropriate documentation evidencing the ITIN applicant�s identity and alien status, and that it is maintaining a record of such documentation."23 This situation seems somewhat akin to our embassy in Saudi Arabia delegating responsibility for visa interviews and document review to local travel agencies � a much-decried practice that has since been discontinued.
Higher stakes. Since the events of 9/11, the Social Security Administration has limited the purposes for which it will issue an SSN and has built more safeguards into authenticating the documents presented to obtain one. Over at the IRS, however, very little public information exists as to how carefully the agency or its acceptance agents authenticate the documents presented to obtain an ITIN. Perhaps they do not feel it is necessary to do so, because the IRS knowingly gives them to illegal aliens.
But the attacks of September 11th, coupled with evidence that Taxpayer Identification Numbers are being used as IDs to obtain driver�s licenses and open bank accounts, raise the stakes considerably. Issues relating to benefit fraud pale beside those surrounding homeland security. It is not known if ITINs are easily available to citizens of countries that harbor terrorists or to resident aliens appearing on the FBI�s criminal database or to the more than 300,000 aliens who absconded after being served with deportation notices.
Other agencies that provide ID documents, specifically the INS and SSA, have been operating in the glare of Congressional hearings to assure those documents are available only to citizens and legal aliens. It is difficult to understand why the IRS, the only agency that is knowingly offering an official government ID to illegal aliens, has escaped scrutiny.
Amnesty for Illegals Who "Pay Taxes"?
Advocates contend that illegal immigrants work hard in jobs Americans will not take, pay taxes, contribute to society, and thus should be able to earn their way to legal status. This concept, euphemistically called "earned regularization," would create opportunities for illegal aliens to receive lawful permanent resident status by earning "credits" in a number of ways, including by paying taxes.
The withholding of taxes is involuntary. Federal, state, and local income taxes and Social Security taxes are withheld from paychecks by employers. Workers have no say in the matter. But taxes withheld are not necessarily taxes paid. The United States has a progressive income tax that applies very low tax rates to low-income households. In fact, millions of households pay no federal tax at all. It is believed that the vast majority of illegal residents who file a tax return using an ITIN get full or partial tax refunds because of the low level of their earnings. Indeed, some erroneously receive the Earned Income Credit, intended to supplement the income of the working poor. Thus, ironically, by issuing ITINs the IRS may actually be reducing the tax revenue received from illegal aliens.
Providing an amnesty of some sort to illegal aliens is opposed by a majority of Americans.24 There has been little support to do so in the current session of Congress. However, the concept is still being pushed by illegal immigrant advocates, by the Mexican government and by elected officials eager for political support from the large Hispanic community living in the United States.
The principal argument these advocates make on behalf of an amnesty is that illegal aliens pay taxes. It is true that taxes are withheld for many illegal aliens, but it is involuntary. Census data show that a high percentage of Hispanics earn very low wages. If illegal aliens were to be "regularized" and authorized to work in the United States, it is highly likely that they would pay little or no income tax. The IRS has important data relating to how many illegal aliens have been issued ITINs, how many have filed tax returns, and the net amount of tax that was paid after exemptions, credits, and refunds. This aggregated information needs to be made available to the public, so that if Congress ever debates the merits of another amnesty for illegal aliens, it can do so based on facts, not platitudes.
IRS Blind to Risks
It appears that in 1996 the IRS decided to treat illegals as "resident aliens" based on their "substantial presence" in the U.S. That decision made illegal aliens eligible for ITINs. Presumably the IRS�s goal was to maximize tax revenues, and it assumed � mistakenly � that the ITIN would be used for tax purposes only. Due to start-up operational problems and subsequent poor administration of the ITIN program, the IRS sustained self-inflicted wounds related to benefit fraud. But, inexplicably, the IRS seems not to have altered its ITIN policies in any meaningful way.
There are many ITIN-related problems that need to be addressed by IRS management and by the Congressional committees with oversight of tax and immigration matters. By far the most urgent issue relates to homeland security. It could be fixed overnight. It is essential that the use of ITINs be strictly limited to tax purposes only. The IRS, or perhaps the Treasury Department of which it is a part, should immediately issue a directive to that effect and widely disseminate it to other federal agencies, state and local governments and their associations, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, financial institutions� regulators and trade associations, and any other entities that are known to be accepting the ITIN as a form of identification.
September 11 taught us just how important it is to be able to distinguish American citizens and legal foreign residents and visitors from those who have no legal right to be in our country. No security measure is foolproof, but safer is safer. The American people have a right to expect that their government is systematically shutting down any impediments that threaten the integrity of our identity documents.
IRS shields illegals from INS. This same audit report said that issuing ITINs to illegal aliens may take on greater significance if the IRS were to come under the scrutiny of Congress. "Illegal alien presence in the United States is a congressional concern which is addressed by legislation in the Welfare Reform Act and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996."7
The Inspector General�s audit also pointed out that the IRS has a policy of shielding illegal immigrants from exposure to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which appears to be in contravention of the express wishes of Congress. "The IRS provides disclosure protection to illegal alien applicants. The Congress has clearly stated how the federal government is to communicate between agencies concerning illegal aliens. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 . . . states that information concerning illegal alien status should be provided to the INS notwithstanding any other law." Subsequent exposition revealed that IRS management believed its own regulations guaranteed the confidentiality of tax return information and did not intend to share any returns with the INS
If that is still the position of the IRS, it is even more untenable today. The USA Patriot Act of 2001, passed overwhelmingly by Congress in response to the terrorist attacks on America, explicitly calls for greater information sharing among government agencies, law enforcement and the intelligence community.9
It is not clear if the IRS regulations regarding confidentiality relate specifically to divulging tax information, such as income, number of dependents, etc., or if they also forbid the IRS from sharing even the taxpayer�s name and identification number with another government agency.
It also is unclear if copies (redacted or not) of the Inspector General�s 1999 report were shared with Congressional committees responsible for oversight of the IRS. The report was addressed to the IRS Commissioner and noted that copies also were being sent to IRS managers affected by the report�s recommendations. This distribution approach differs from that followed by the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, who also addresses his reports to the Commissioner while simultaneously distributing copies to a long list of members of Congress whose committees presumably have oversight over SSA.
IRS ignores fraudulent use of SSNs. Illegal aliens have been warned by advocates not to use the ITIN when applying for employment, as it would expose their illegal status. All publications from both the IRS and the SSA say that an individual can have either an ITIN or an SSN, but not both. But since employees suffer no penalty for using fraudulent SSNs, they continue to do so. Similarly, since employers benefiting from cheap labor also suffer no penalty, they continue to hire illegal aliens without checking the validity of their SSNs. Once someone is hired, employers begin to withhold taxes.
It is believed that far more ITINs have been issued than annual tax returns filed and that illegal residents who file returns do so to claim refunds. If so, presumably they use the ITIN provided by the IRS as their identifier on the 1040 Form, attaching the W-2 form provided by their employer. The catch is that their fraudulently obtained SSNs appear on the W-2 forms. Illegal aliens can obtain a SSN in a variety of ways. They can make up a number, steal or borrow someone else�s, buy a counterfeit Social Security card, or obtain a valid Social Security card fraudulently.10 What is abundantly clear is that they are not entitled to it.
Knowing that the ITIN would not be necessary if the SSN were legitimate, apparently the IRS has been processing the returns anyway � ignoring this clear violation of its own rules. It could not be determined if there is a penalty attached to using both numbers simultaneously or if the IRS notifies the SSA about the possibility of a fraudulently obtained SSN. If the IRS does not do so, it would appear that the agency is undermining the integrity of Social Security numbers and U.S. immigration law and could be endangering homeland security.
Re: rebeccarose – u won't get shot coz you won't be needing a visa or anything other than your passport
How fucking stupid are you? I haven't heard anybody speaking out against immigrants. The problem is ILLEGAL immigrants you tool. And illegals put a drain on the economy. That's why California is in such a dire situation. Also, you misspelled San Francisco moron.
Legal immigrants are a benefit, not illegal immigrants . Why can't you dumb liberals get that through your heads?
Perez, you're a descendant of fucking Mariel boatlifters. Thanks for taking over Miami.
I'm fine with legal immigrants coming here and being productive and contributing but there is no way that illegal immigration will boost the economy…saying that is like saying that because drug dealers spend a lot of money on cars, cloths and jewelry we should leave alone…after all they are pumping the funds back in to retail and auto sales…
So people receiving welfare, free medical care and foostamps, not to mention free public education….all the while paying no income tax….THAT makes money?
This is a study on immigrants. It doesn't mention illegal immigrants, as everyone posting seems to assume.
Re: jtssrx – F*** you. I'm a liberal and I'm against illegal immigration. Nice generalisation, dumbass.
Fuck the illegals! Ever wonder why we have such epidemic flus now? Bed bugs that were almost eradicated 40 yrs ago? Typhoid is up, scarlett fever. It is because of this mass immigration legal and illegal.
Shut the doors! This country is full.
Legal immigration is OK. Anyone trying to enter the country illegally must be thrown out fast if caught.
Um. my parents are illigally in the US.
idk what you mean by illigal, but they arent american citizens..
they went by plane, they didnt illigally cross borders..
visa overstay i guess.
but they pay all their taxes, they have no criminal record, and are really hard working people.
my mom is actually a teacher.
so why should we be kicked out?
shes contribuiting to americas education, and they have their jobs, and they dont do any bad things, they pay taxes and everything…
why should we be kicked out?
sure… those who crossed borders, and came illigally, sure, they should leave. thats wrong.
but you need to look at their side.
they didnt choose to be born in their poor country..
they didnt choose to be poor.
most were born into that and now want a way out. some go hungry, and thanks to the US have something to eat.
its very sad.
but idk… i guess the US is right to kick those immigrants out.
but my parents? no. they do everything correctly. i hope they leave those immigrants here, and who knows? maybe make us citizens..
Immigration is GREAT for the economy. Just not the illegal kind.
What a crock! I have no problem with people coming into this country LEGALLY to make a better life for themselves and their families. I do have a problem with those who don't. They are breaking the immigration laws and they should immediately be sent back to their country of origin. We are the only country who coddles these illegals and it's ridiculous. Let's take care of our borders and stop this nonsense. Yes, the Statue of Liberty says "Give me your tired…etc" but that should only apply to those who enter legally. I say this so called study is bullshit and whoever believes it is extremely naive.
if they are illegal, THEYRE ILLEGAL
theres no two ways about it - they shouldnt be in america!
Umm… immigrants are fine.. but illegal immigrants are not. And there are way more of those than there are legal immigrants. And immigration I don't believe helps the economy. America is over crowded… there's no more room for people. At least here in California… and that's where they all seem to come!
The only way we benefit is if these immigrants are LEGAL- illegal immigrants do not benefit us at all.
How come everybody immediately thinks of Mexico when they hear the word immigrant? Immigrants come from all over the world…LEGALLY!
You do understand that there's a difference between LEGAL and ILLEGAL immigration, right? As a LEGAL immigrant, it pisses the hell out of me that ILLEGAL immigrants get to subvert the legal channels of coming to a country and yet benefit from all the resources that my tax dollars helped pay for.
Donny, you're out of your element……. stick to insulting the looks of toddlers and outing gay celebs, you are def. not qualified to be talking about an issue like this.
The illegals should be rounded up and shot!
Re: Vinicius – If your mother is a teacher and works in the American education system, I doubt she's illegal. I'm sure your parents have some sort of documentation that allows them to work and stay in America (not necessarily citizenship).
And no, illegal immigrants did not choose to be born in a poor country. But they did choose to break the law and knowingly enter the country illegally. There are more poor people in the world than "rich" - what happens if the western nations let them ALL in? Not all will have marketable skills thus their welfare would rest on the taxpayers. It would bankrupt the entire West.
perez thats the worlds weakest argument. With every illegal immigation comes immediate crime of living here illegally, then even more crimes, filth and crap. then the immigrant promptly tries to turn the host nation into the same toilet he just left.
its one thing to be an immigrant, its another to be an ILLEGAL immigrant! They take the jobs, don't pay taxes but yet try to take advantage of government programs that my hard earned tax dollars pay for!
Screw that, send them home! Apply to come here like our ancestors did
Liberals are absolutely fucking ridiculous, what makes them think they way they do?? Illegal immigration is definitely NOT GOOD for the economy. What a fucking joke!!!
Why is it that Republicans want to deport HISPANIC ONLY immigrants? There are illegal immigrants from all over…why not go after white and European illegal immigrants as well?
I think you deliberately misunderstand what the issue is, here. ILLEGAL aliens are a problem, legal immigrants are welcome.
Well I do have to give them credit for at least having the American flag in this picture instead of waving their mexican flag like they usually do when they protest here.
Its Illegal immigrants that drain society… They have multiple children sometimes. I've seen them come into grocery stores with sometimes 5+ kids under the age of ten and because the child is a legal citizen they can get WIC and medical insurance through the government for the child. They dont have to explain to people who they are, just need proof of birth for the child. They refuse to learn English sometimes. I've actually been insulted for not knowing Spanish, and I live in the US. I would work and see them buy hundreds of dollars on government aid money and WIC then send hundreds of dollars western union. My cousin married a man who was from another country and for him to immigrant legally as the husband it took almost a YEAR for him to come over and live with her. How is that fair that my cousin had to live without her husband the first year of marriage? They did it correctly because its the law! He's here legally and has his Green Card. Oh and BTW I'm liberal and I think Illegal Immigration as gotten out of hand
Re: queen_0f_p0p – Sadly the majority of the illegal immigrants in the areas that have the problems are the Hispanics, the drug cartels for example. The main places where you see the problems are California, Arizona and Texas etc. You dont see Canadians coming south do you?
Are you freaking kidding me!?!? Illegal is illegal!! If you want to live and work in the United States you need to do it legally; apply for citizenship, pay taxes, pay social security, be trained or licensed in the job you do, etc.
LEGAL immagration is one thing, but workers who are here ILLEGALLY not only hurt our ecomony, but they are not properly protected by their employers. All people coming to this country should follow the law and become citizens or they should leave.
Re: Vinicius – If she's a teacher, there is no way she is here ILLEGALLY. However, maybe she can teach you to spell correctly.
Are you really this stupid?? it isn't about immigration…..it's about ILLEGAL immigration, which DRAINS our resources. Why not educate yourself for once before posting such crap?
Re: queen_0f_p0p – They do you just don't hear about it. And most ILLEGAL immigrants are mexican bc they are like….right there. It's pretty hard for a Bosnian to cross the entire freaking ocean and step on this land ILLEGALLY. For a mexican who can run through the woods to get here - not so much. For a cuban who can paddle here on a boat in a couple of hours - not so much.
Re: queen_0f_p0p – Don't be a liberal idiot. Republicans don't want to deport Hispanics only. Republicans want to stop criminal immigration regardless of which country they come from , democrats want to pander to a certain class and play the political correct game at the expense of this country.
Can you people not read.. the study was about legal immigrants!!!!
I live in Arizona and the immigration issue is being polluted by bullshit propaganda by idiots like john mccain who basically wants to turn the state into a military base and our governor Jan Brewer who just wants the money from private prisons where she can send immigrants..
legal immigration is great for our economy!!!
illegal immigration is a completely different issue and should be dealt with on a federal level so we don't end up with crazy shit like Arizona tried to pull here
LEGAL immigration = good. ILLEGAL = bad. Get it right, dumbass! P.S. San Francisco can suck it.
I'm sorry but all you NON LIBERALS ARE FUCKING IDIOTS. Its the United States fault "ILLEGALS" come to this country. The US loves cheap labor, so they call for "ILLEGALS". What do you think NAFTA is all about?! The USA is sending your jobs away not because Immigrants are taking them! Stop fucking complaining! They PAY TAXES and you all use what they NEVER get back, which is BILLIONS!
I love to read comments on topic such as this because it shows how truly ignorant and races many people are. "The illegals should be rounded up and shot!"
PROPAGANDA!!! globalists love illegals because they drive down wages.
Do you even know anything about this fucking law? I'm in Canada and I probably know it better than you. It kicks out ILLEGAL immigrants. Legal immigrants can stay. Get it right you dumbass.
STFU. No one has a problem with LEGAL immigration. ILLEAGLES need to get kicked out. Plain and simple.
Re: Americana2 – you obviously can't read.. the post was about LEGAL immigrants but everytime you idiots see the word immigrant you picture a mexican crossing the border with machine guns and pounds of cocaine to steal your jobs and kill your children..
stupid bitches.. all of you… try living in a border state.. there are plenty of LEGAL immigrants here in AZ and they sure as fuck help our economy…
plus the damage we see from illegal immigration is minimal.. it is just blown out of proportion by crazy idiots like military freak show Mccain or our private prison funded governor jan Brewer…
btw GG78… we get it you can cut and paste.. get a life.. and learn how to read.. this post was not about illegal immigration shop your propaganda somewhere else..
Re: sunshine88 – stay out of touch Sunshine, we need people like you for comic relief.
Tacos and salsa are all you're concerned about, right fat boy? Your inability to recognize that not all immigrants come from Hispanic decent only highlights your ignorance & incompetence when it comes to delivering actual news. Tis better to stay quiet & let others think you're an idiot than to open your mouth and prove them right.
God I kinda love when this topic comes up because it shows how idiotic and quick to judge people can be. Seriously, can you guys read? It says immigration is positive, nowhere does it say illegal immigration. So calm the fuck down and actually read it. Also, I'm curious as to how many of you actually live in border areas. Because if you don't, really what basis do you have for saying this is bullshit? And seriously I can't believe how hostile some of you people are. Illegal or not, these people are still human beings and the way some of you talk about them is disgusting, yet they're the ones who are not wanted? Oh and in case you don't realize, plenty of American citizens abuse government assistance as well. And you know maybe the core of this issue is with the country that some of you are so proud to claim as yours and yours only allowing immigrants to come in all for the purpose of cheap labor. Just a thought.
Re: Vinicius – Your mom is a teacher….yet you cannot spell "illegally" correctly…nor punctuate correctly. Good job mom.
i dont even live in the US, but i will have to agree some of you guys..LEGAL immigrants are good for the economy.
What a joke! Illegal = bad, legal= good why is this soo hard for people to understand!?
I smell bullshit. BECOME LEGAL AND LEARN ENGLISH if you want to be an AMERICAN CITIZEN. My family did it the right way and I'm proud of my heritage and my ancestors' stories - b/c they became LEGAL citizens!
**Immigration is great when done the right way!**
Re: StayC –
ARE YOU PEOPLE FUCKIN RETARDED OR CAN YOU JUST NOT READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This study was about immigrants.. NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS..
read more than just the headline before you spread your ignorance
Re: Vinicius – If she has a VISA, she's not here illegally. Illegal is not going through the proper channels to be here.