Myths of Immigration: Undocumented Immigrants Don’t Pay Their Taxes

February 23, 2015 By: Rachel Einbund - 4 Comments

This could not be farther from the truth. In ten years of practice almost every immigration client who has come to me for help has brought their tax return, proving that they have actively been contributing to the society they want to be a part of. It’s no secret that people come to this country and work without employment authorization. It is widely believed that these people don’t pay any taxes. Opponents of immigration argue that undocumented immigrants put a burden on society by using public resources without paying taxes. In reality, the immigrant population contributes heavily to taxes. The IRS will give out individual tax ID numbers (ITIN) to anyone who wants to pay taxes, and they gladly accept everyone’s tax dollars. Despite the fact that most undocumented immigrants are being paid very low wages, those who are serious about achieving legal status pay taxes in order to show the government their commitment to the process.