(Cartoon image is by Lalo Alcaraz at capitalandmain.com.)Donald Trump continues to demonize immigrants -- especially undocumented immigrants. He is appealing to the racists and xenophobes in his party, and trying to divide Americans by making them fear undocumented immigrants.
He accuses those immigrants of being a criminal danger, of taking jobs away from citizens, and of being a drag on the economy (taking more in benefits than they contribute). These are all LIES!
Study after study has shown that the undocumented immigrants actually obey our laws better than citizens do -- probably because they don't want to draw police attention which might get them deported.
The immigrants do take some jobs, but they are normally low-paying, dangerous, dirty jobs that American citizens don't want. Employers would be hard-pressed to fill many of these jobs with the immigrant workforce.
The crazy part of Trump's immigration idea is to replace these immigrants with other immigrants that are educated and/or skilled. These immigrants would take good jobs away from American citizens.
Do immigrants (especially undocumented immigrant) pose a burden for this country. Not at all. They actually pay taxes, while not qualifying for benefits. Here is how the Bipartisan Policy Center describes it:
How Much do Undocumented Workers Pay in Taxes?
The IRS estimates that undocumented immigrants pay over $9 billion in withheld payroll taxes annually. Undocumented immigrants also help make the Social Security system more solvent, as they pay into the system but are ineligible to collect benefits upon retiring. In 2010, $12 billion more was collected from Social Security payroll taxes of undocumented workers than were paid out in benefits.Do Undocumented Immigrants Collect Benefits?
Undocumented immigrants are eligible for very few federal benefits (Table 1). One notable tax benefit that they have traditionally been eligible for is the Child Tax Credit, a partially refundable credit designed to support low-income families based on their dependent children. A report from the Treasury Department estimated that undocumented immigrants received $4.2 billion in refundable child tax credits in 2010, or roughly one-eighth of the total paid. However, last year’s tax law changed eligibility requirements by making the refundable portion of the child tax credit only available to filers whose dependents have valid Social Security numbers, therefore rendering ITIN filers with undocumented children unable to claim the CTC for those dependents.Tax Credits (Refundable)Ineligible for most tax credits; ITIN holders with U.S. children can receive the Child Tax Credit
Pell Grants & Student LoansIneligible
Unemployment InsuranceIneligible
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)Ineligible
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)Ineligible
Social SecurityIneligible
MedicaidEmergency service only
Health Care Premium and Cost-Sharing AssistanceIneligible
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)No federal care; some states cover for labor and delivery, prenatal, and postpartum care
