Illegal immigrants pay billions in taxes

CNN ^ | 04/15/08 | AP

[Is2C]

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- [snip]

The Social Security Administration estimates that about three-quarters of illegal workers pay taxes that contribute to the overall solvency of Social Security and Medicare.

The agency estimates that for 2005, the last year for which figures are available, about $9 billion in taxes was paid on about $75 billion in wages from people who filed W2 forms with incorrect or mismatched data, which would include illegal immigrants who drew paychecks under fake names and Social Security numbers.

Spokesman Mark Hinkle says Social Security does not know how much of the $9 billion can be attributed to illegal immigrants. The number is certainly not 100 percent, but a significant portion probably comes from taxes paid by illegal immigrants.

[snip]

The impact on Social Security is significant, though, because most of that money is never claimed by the people who pay it but instead helps cover retirement checks to legal workers.

Federal law prohibits paying Social Security to illegal immigrants, but the administration factors in both legal and illegal immigration when projecting the trust fund's long-term solvency.

This is especially important as the 78 million-member baby boom generation begins to leave the work force and draw Social Security checks.

[snip]

"Ford, who has studied taxes and immigration, says a majority of economists agree that illegal immigrants are a net benefit for the U.S. economy.

[snip]

He calculates that illegal immigrants contributed $428 billion dollars to the nation's $13.6 trillion gross domestic product in 2006.

[snip]

"If anything we need more immigrants coming into the country, not less, especially with the baby boomers retiring," he said.

[Is2C]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why our politicians are encouraging illegal immigration.

What strikes me about this article is the presentation of a theory (i.e. "estimates", "doesn't fully tally", "rough estimate", "no firm figures", "Social Security does not know", "probably", etc.) as fact (i.e. article title "Illegal immigrants pay billions in taxes")

Is there anyone out there with any experience or first hand knowledge on this subject that could shed some light on the validity of these claims?

[Rob112586]

Well, then, they should save themselves the money and GO HOME!

[manic4organic]

I’d rather they pay them in Mexico.

[Rosemont]

Illegal aliens cost billions more by:

1. leaching off of our hospitals and social service programs
2. committing additional crimes and taking up jail space
3. alien children, anchor baby education
4. taking jobs from Americans and depressing wages.

Funny how reliably liberal cnn never mentions this

[bioqubit]

Another cornerstone of conservative principle is the rule of law. Liberals love to corrode that cornerstone with economic arguments. But it becomes just another way of destroying integrity. Economic “convenience” corroding legal/political integrity of a society. There is much more to this...

[MichiganCheese]

They don’t even know how many illegal alien invaders are in our country. How in the world can they ever say how much they pay in taxes.

It’s a sure bet they cost more than they contribute.

[infantrywhooah]

I’m guessing Jose and Maria and all the bebés cost the country a whole lot more than 9 billion. We still lose and they win.

[Is2C]

Hi Rosemont -

Have you ever heard this “illegals pay billions” argument? There seems to be only pure speculation in this article. If true it may be the reason ICE and the feds are ignoring illegal immigration. The blind eye approach has always baffled me.

[Beowulf9]

Amen to that statement Rosemont.

[kabar]

It is pure BS.

[Steve Van Doorn]

’$428 billion total but only $75 billion in wages? ‘

Can I not tell the government I don’t make any money to?

[Prokopton]

Most illegals are "off the books" and have no withholdings.

This article is a steaming load.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I don’t know, but California alone is spending at least 9 billion a year on education and health care for illegals.

[Is2C]

Another cornerstone of conservative principle is the rule of law. Liberals love to corrode that cornerstone with economic arguments. But it becomes just another way of destroying integrity. Economic “convenience” corroding legal/political integrity of a society. There is much more to this...

Please do expound on this. That is why I posted the article, because it sounds so biased and I would like to know the real (not talking point so much) debate on this. My knee-jerk reaction is to say "that' bull" but I'd like some factual info if anyone has it (and has the time to post it)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

It can’t be measured if its illegal...

[Panzerlied]

Uh oh. My BS alarm just went off!

[umgud]

"Ford, who has studied taxes and immigration, says a majority of economists agree that illegal immigrants are a net benefit for the U.S. economy.

There is no amount of million man math that can be used to convince me these folks are a net benefit to us.

Everything from free birthing experiences for anchor babies and free welfare for same, free education, healthcare and so on convince me otherwise.

[blue state conservative]

A couple of years ago the LA Times was claiming illegal Latino immigrants made a net positive contribution to the California economy of something like $10 billion. Which leads to the following questions:

1) Using the same math, what’s the net contribution of white people, or Asians, or blacks?

2) If every group is a net positive, why do we have a budget deficit in California?

[RKV]

We’ve got to get out of the mode of others paying for our mistakes. Simply put, in a world of scarcity, market costs tell us where and where not to spend among competing alternatives. Where we subsidize poverty for instance, we get more than the market would otherwise supply.

[aruanan]

Illegal immigrants pay billions in taxes

This is true and they're just as unlikely to recover any of it in the form of SS as any of us is. But they're still illegal.