Why the U.S. Must Heavily Tax Remittances Abroad

American Thinker ^ | 07/26/2024 | William Davis

[SeekAndFind]

One of the most under-discussed drivers of illegal immigration is the explosion of remittances, which has created a major economic incentive for foreign nationals to pour into the U.S.

Immigrants of both the legal and illegal variety are coming to the U.S., earning money, and sending it back home instead of putting it into the U.S. economy. Take for example, Nicaragua, which received a record $462.4 million in remittances during the month of May, with $385.9 million coming from the U.S., according to a report cited by Breitbart News. As Breitbart points out, not only is this money not going into the U.S. economy, but it is going to a repressive, communist regime in Nicaragua supported by U.S. adversaries, including China, Russia, and Iran. This is a major problem for the U.S.; Americans have a right to expect that money earned through the American economy will go back into the American economy, not to foreign countries.

Of course, it is reasonable to expect that people who come here will send some money they earn back to family members who still live in their home countries. However, this must be done in a responsible way that benefits the U.S., and does not create harmful incentives.

Every year, hundreds of billions of dollars in remittances are sent from the U.S. to foreign countries

[Baldwin77]

YES !!!

And equal pay (minimum wage) for illegals !

The companies will be flying them back to their shiit-hole countries.

[SSS Two]

Immigrants of both the legal and illegal variety are coming to the U.S., earning money, and sending it back home instead of putting it into the U.S. economy.

ALTERNATIVE TAKE: Immigrants of both the legal and illegal variety are coming to the U.S., working and earning money, and sending it back home instead of consuming U.S. resources. The immigrants give more to the economy through their work than they take through consumption.

[eyeamok]

should be 50%

[Leaning Right]

I’m guessing this remittance money has already been taxed as income tax. So it seems to me that the person should be able to do whatever he wants with it.

Yes, it would be better if the money remained here. But America is supposed to be a free country. We don’t need more laws, and Big Brother tracking where every dollar goes.

Here’s a better idea. Strictly enforce every immigration law already on the books. And close the border, obviously.

[escapefromboston]

It should definitely be taxed but I don’t know how heavily.

[Bon of Babble]

Absolutely!

Taxes on remittances can be used to pay for illegals' education costs, housing, medical bills, car crashes, food - although it won't be enough.

These are things the American taxpayer should not be forced to pay for (but are).

Here's one from today:

"Illegal Alien ‘Got-Away’ Accused of Killing Nashville Restaurateur Matt Carney"

"Ulises Raigoz-Martinez, a 24-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, has been charged with criminal homicide after allegedly causing a hit-and-run crash that killed Matt Carney."

Fake "border czar" Kamala Harris approves.

[AZJeep]

I’m guessing this remittance money has already been taxed as income tax.

__________________

Your guess may be wrong. Lot of the money is either untaxed, earned in the underground economy, or, on the flip side, welfare money from US taxpayers.

[nonliberal]

70% to start. Use it to fund the deportation program.

[Theoria]

'I’m guessing this remittance money has already been taxed as income tax. '

Says who? Sending money from a western union counter doesn't infer anything about how the money was gained or taxed. That comes later, and why would a illegal be concerned about a minor thing like the irs when they are already illegal in the country and breaking other various laws here.

Citizens put forth their ssn number and other details to allow the irs to follow up on their monies later if needed.

[Leaning Right]

> Your guess may be wrong. Lot of the money is either untaxed, earned in the underground economy, or, on the flip side, welfare money from US taxpayers. <

Good point.

[glorgau]

So, if I decided to move abroad for a couple of years then any money I use from my retirement funds should be taxed again?

[Carry_Okie]

Remittances are dollars that leave the US and don’t come back. Therefore the Fed gets to print more money with greatly reduced inflationary consequences.

[Flavious_Maximus]

“...The immigrants give more to the economy through their work than they take through consumption...”

You’re ignoring the net drain they are to the economy when you include having to pay for their healthcare, their children’s education and housing. This is all subsidized (by US taxpayers) so they can then send money to their relatives.

[icclearly]

What a bunch of crap!

So, we send over $200 BILLION over to the third-world country of Ukraine, and you're now telling me we're worried about a few million sent to some out-of-country residents. Or, how about the $40 TRILLION in debt that will sink us like a ship hit by the Houthies.

Smart. Real smart!

[TimSkalaBim]

Claims that illegals pay income tax come mostly from left wing pressure groups, and the IRS, none of whom would never lie to make a political point /s. They conflate illegals with legit immigrant households. They might obfuscate payroll taxes (that the employer pays) with income tax. They repeat old unverified data from years ago, as if the illegal alien problem today is anything like even 10 years ago. The only real place that illegal wages show up for sure is in the check-cashing kiosks found in just about every strip mall in America - those transactions should be confiscated - hey, just applying TSA rules forced on actual Americans to illegals.

[Liz]

FR thread titled Mega migrant caravan ‘from dozens of countries’ begins march to the US amid fears Trump will return to the White House..........

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Continued draining of our Social Security to commence.

As part of a 10-month investigation Scripps News uncovered that every year, thousands of migrant children disappear from their homes shortly after arriving in the U.S. But there is no clear local, state or federal government agency taking responsibility for searching for many of these missing ...Apr 2, 2024

This is so bogus-——the kids arent missing, they are loaned out, passed around to other migrants. to be used in lucrative scams to get tax dollars from S/S and hefty disability checks.

Biden vengefully overturned Trump’s order to get the DNA of these so-called needy families, to make sure the kids are really theirs.

A common practice by these greedy illegals is getting a crooked doctor to say a kid’s autistic b/c they get hefty SS tax paid benefits every month for the kid.

The maximum possible disability benefit for autism in 2024 is $943 per month for SSI and about $3,822 per month for SSDI. These maximums apply regardless of what condition you have or whether you apply with one condition or multiple. The actual amount received depends on specific circumstances. (Dec 7, 2023)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a key benefit for children under 16 living with disability, including autism. It is assessed according to care needs, and a diagnosis is not required to make a claim. DLA helps cover the extra costs of raising a child with a disability. (Jan 30, 2024)

And it’s a sure bet they invent their “family circumstances.”

Plus there’s millions of senior immigrants collecting who have never worked in the US and never put a dime in the system.

[wgmalabama]

First there should be no illegals in this country.

Assuming there are not the the issue becomes mute, people can send their money to whoever. Unfortunately there are at least 40 million illegal immigrates already here. I’m sure Act blue gets a cut of those funds already.

[Brian Griffin]

Should be a minimum of the state sales tax rate. State sales tax is used to fund education and Medicaid.

The states could levy such a tax themselves.

[Ajnin]

Illegal aliens take far more from the economy than they contribute. Illegal immigration is one of the biggest reasons California went from being the envy of the world to a third world failed state.