Brownsville Herald: (Immigrants are) Big Contributors
media mention“Immigrants, regardless of their status, pay taxes in the form of property and sales tax, and other state and federal taxes such as the federal income and payroll taxes,” the report states, noting that even unauthorized immigrants pay sales and excise taxes on their purchases and utility payments. It cites an Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy finding that half of our undocumented immigrants pay federal income taxes, and in 2010 contributed more than $1.6 billion in state and local taxes.
Clearly, immigrants benefit our state, and our country. If our policy makers truly were pro-business as they claim, they would recognize that better immigration policy could bring even more benefits to our country.
We need to improve the process, not continue to raise roadblocks.