Do Illegal Immigrants Actually Hurt the U.S. Economy?

Discussion in 'Politics' started by nitro, Feb 12, 2013.

Do Illegal Immigrants Actually Hurt the U.S. Economy?

  1. Yes. Although I suppose it depends on what one means by "hurt"

    9 vote(s)
    64.3%
  2. No. Although I suppose it depends on what one means by "hurt"

    2 vote(s)
    14.3%
  3. I don't know

    3 vote(s)
    21.4%
  4. I don't care

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. Tsing Tao

    Tsing Tao

    I'm referring to the farmer in your story as the employer, not the guy you know. Keep up.
     
    #11     Feb 12, 2013
  2. Irrelevent, the friend is about 40 yo, the farmer is dead. Comprende? My post was about the status of the guy born to Mexican parents who had him here specifically so he would be an American.
     
    #12     Feb 12, 2013
  3. c
    Education is paid through property taxes. If an illegal lives here and pays rent, indirectly that illegal is paying his fair share for education.

    If an immigrant family became legal and worked, most likely they would get a giant refund via EIC and child deduction. This case as with most low income faimlies are a fiscal drag on the system with free money from the gov't. Currently, illegals don't enjoy that benefit.

    As far as health care goes.. don't have an answer.

    But over all, if you're working off the books the gov't gets plenty of tax revenue from just day to day living. Sales tax, fees, probably much more tax rvenue than "income" tax revenue.
     
    #13     Feb 12, 2013
  4. Mav88

    Mav88

    Fair is subjective, so to address something more objective, do illegals as a group pay more in education taxes than they consume?

    They live in low rent places and they cram in more kids than average. Let's say they have 3 kids in public schools, that's about $18K a year expense to taxpayers. Does the average drywaller or tomato picker pay that in taxes? I going to go out on a limb and say no.
     
    #14     Feb 12, 2013
  5. Even when working off the books the lost tax isn't always as great as one might think. Usually the illegals are working for a legal Mexican contractor who receives a 1099 and he pays tax on this amount and at a higher rate than the illegal who doesn't receive a 1099 would pay. Since the legal Mexican contractor can't deduct the expense of his labor he has to pay the tax on the total amount of the 1099.
     
    #15     Feb 12, 2013
  6. Tsing Tao

    Tsing Tao

    Ah, my telepathy is down today, that's probably why I didn't know the farmer was dead.

    Regardless of what your post was about, the OP is about whether illegals hurt the US Economy.
     
    #16     Feb 12, 2013
  7. Tsing Tao

    Tsing Tao

    This was, of course, my point.
     
    #17     Feb 12, 2013
  8. Mav88

    Mav88

    fair enough question, we would need to know the marginal increase per worker, and the net opportunity cost of not hiring a legal american.
     
    #18     Feb 12, 2013
  9. Tsing Tao

    Tsing Tao

    Just curious, but you state that "usually" the illegals are working for a legal Mexican contractor. Would it be safe to say that you are claiming illegal aliens work for Mexican contractors who are legal more than 50% of the time, then? 75%?
     
    #19     Feb 12, 2013
  10. My knowledge and experience is limited to the construction trades. I'd say a vast majority of illegals are hired by legal subs in construction.
     
    #20     Feb 12, 2013