KTLA-LOS ANGELES -- A new report reveals millions of illegal immigrants are getting billions in IRS refunds, leaving many Californians asking how, why and is it true? According to the Center for Immigration Studies, in the 2010 tax year alone, undocumented workers received over $4 billion from the US govt.
As it turns out, a valid social security number isn't needed to apply for an IRS refund. "If you don't have papers in this country and you are working, you can apply for an ITIN number and then you file taxes," Luis Salazar, of Salazar Tax Services explains."If you quality for a refund, you can get money back," Salazar says.
Since illegal immigrants can't qualify for legitimate social security numbers, back in 1996 the US Treasury introduced the Individual Tax Identification Number, or ITIN. Salazar says he sees thousands of US dollars returned to his clients who are from out of the country. "You can claim your daughter, you can claim your son, you can claim your grandfather, grandmother," he explains. "You can claim your mother, you can claim your father, you can claim nephews and nieces. Almost everybody besides cousins."
And that's how the money is banked -- all through the Additional Child Tax Credit, which grants families $1,000 per dependent. That's also where the scam can come in. The people who you claim should be living in the US with you, but Salazar says that some undocumented workers claim family members living across the border. Unscrupulous tax preparers are filing fraudulent returns getting ITIN clients thousands of dollars.
One report found an undocumented worker claimed 20 relatives as dependents under a fake address and took the government for a grand total of $29,000.
Salazar Tax Services insists that every claim they file is above the board. But they also say that not everyone chooses to be money smart over greed."I give you the option, like it's not correct, but if you want to claim it's up to you becasue you're the person in charge of your taxes because you're signing it," Salazar says.
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COMMENTS Unscrupulous tax preparers are filing fraudulent returns for illegals. One illegal claimed 20 relatives as dependents under a fake address and took the US govt for a grand total of $29,000 (and that's just under a single identity). Salazar Tax Services insists that every claim they file is above board. "I give you the option, like it's not correct, but if you want to claim it's up to you because you're the person in charge of your taxes because you're signing it," Salazar says.
Luis Salazar---and all his clients filing fraudulent returns----need to be nailed in connection with this scam. Luis Salazar of Salazar Tax Services insists that every claim his firm files is above board. "I give you the option, like it's not correct, but if you want to claim it's up to you because you're the person in charge of your taxes because you're signing it," Salazar claims.
NOT SO FAST LUIS Every tax preparer is legally compelled to sign every IRS return, as well. If Salazar falsified the tax preparer's IRS entry---he is in legal hot water.
FBI TIPS PAGE https://tips.fbi.gov
This article also fails to mention that most illegals maintain multiple identities----and that they probably filed false claims for EITC under each identity.
<><>ICE's "documents and benefits fraud task force" found a common practice among "impoverished" illegals is to buy several faked identities for several thousand dollars each----the illegal then votes and rides the US gravy train under several names.
<><> Jose Madrigal---the Washington state rapist---had some 30 identities. And probably voted and collected US benefits under every single identity.
<><>June 26, 2010 An illegal using multiple identities was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay back $3 million in fraudulently obtained unemployment compensation. Manuel Mejia Ordonez, got eight years for conspiracy to commit mail fraud........and identity theft.
<><> Hilderberto Salinas sold state drivers' licenses issued out of the state’s Motor Vehicle Agency in NJ to illegals with multiple identities who did not have the necessary id's....among 40 people who participated in the widespread ring. "Impoverished" illegals paid $2,500 to $7,000 apiece for the licenses.
<><> July 21, 2006----NJ BERGEN RECORD---Pelcastre brothers, Angel and Jorge, Dallas, Texas, were a walking threat to US national security, expert document forgers who, for a few thousand dollars, could give anyone a new identity, NJ L/E authorities said. The Texas brothers were a "one-stop shop" for a myriad of fake US documents, including birth certificates, Social Security cards, driver's licenses----for any state in the US------ passports and resident alien cards, said state police.
The Texas brothers turned a NJ hotel room into a business office and were readying a massive cache of fake Social Security cards for delivery to a local NJ identity broker. Officers happened upon two cars bearing Texas plates in a NJ hotel parking lot. The Texas brothers were followed to a NJ office supply store nearby where they purchased computer supplies. Officers then followed the Texans to a NJ storage facility in Secaucus, NJ, where the Texans loaded several boxes into a car. One of them stood lookout.
After a search, police recovered laminating sheets with built-in security features, pages of blank documents waiting for fake names and information, finished documents, computers and software to create the fake IDs.
All told, the haul was worth about $500,000 on the street when sold to "impoverished illegals." Police also recovered $6,000 in cash, which was the first payment from a NJ fake document broker for a shipment of 500 phony Social Security cards. ####
<><> US Dept of the Treasury Says Illegal Aliens Collecting Billions in Tax Credits According to the US Dept of Treasury’s Inspector General, more than $4.2 billion in additional child credits were paid out in 2010 to illegal immigrants. In 2005, the pay outs totaled $924 million. This program allows low income earners to claim a $1,000 per child credit. $20 billion EITC is estimated to have been paid out to these cunning "impoverished" illegals. Most of them are collecting over and over again-----using multiple identities-----falsifying official apps---claiming children they do not have and/or falsely stating kids are back in their homelands.
REFERENCE March 8, 2012 KENNER, La. -- Kenner police arrested illegal Marvin Baca who sold false W-2 forms to another illegal immigrant for $1,500. Baca sold fraudulent W-2 forms for $1,500 to other Hispanics here illegally.
Police said that on one of the forged W-2 forms had a SS no of a person living in Virginia. Police said illegal Hispanics purchase fictitious W-2 forms and file false tax returns with the government to receive EITC refunds. Baca was charged with one count of ID theft and two counts of forgery.