Published on Tue, Apr 19, 2011
As you nurse your tax-day hangover, we bring you news from the flip side.
Despite what Lou Dobbs might have told you, turns out illegal immigrants do pay taxes. Lots of them.
The Immigration Policy Center, citing the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, put up some sobering figures.
California gets the most out of its undocumented workers apparently:
The Golden State pulled in $2.7 billion in taxes from households headed by illegals in 2010. That includes sales taxes, property taxes and some income taxes.
ITEP says that at least half of undocumenteds pay property taxes.
Other states that pull in decent income from our lowest-class, lowest-paid, non-rights-having workers:
- Texas: $1.6 billion.
- Florida: $806.8 million.
- New York: $662.4 million.
- Illinois: $499.2 million.
Nationwide, undocumented-led households poured $11.2 billion in tax coffers, according to ITEP.
So go ahead, blame the illegals for everything. We all know they provide the easiest scapegoat to just about any problem.
Published in the LA Weekly