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

[Tsing Tao]

Quote from bigarrow:

He doesn't hire illegals, he was born here by Mexican parents. Focus .

I'm referring to the farmer in your story as the employer, not the guy you know. Keep up.

 

[bigarrow]

Quote from Tsing Tao:

I'm referring to the farmer in your story as the employer, not the guy you know. Keep up.

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.

 

[nutmeg]

c

Quote from Tsing Tao:

Does he pay the illegal he hires for medical insurance? If so, then there's little fiscal drag. Otherwise, when they use the medical system, there's a fiscal drag. Also, if and when they use the education system, there is a drag since they are not paying taxes.

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.

 

[Mav88]

Quote from nutmeg:

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.

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.

 

[bigarrow]

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.

 

[Tsing Tao]

Quote from bigarrow:

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.

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.

 

[Tsing Tao]

Quote from Mav88:

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

This was, of course, my point.

 

[Mav88]

Quote from bigarrow:

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.

fair enough question, we would need to know the marginal increase per worker, and the net opportunity cost of not hiring a legal american.

 

[Tsing Tao]

Quote from bigarrow:

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.

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%?

 

[bigarrow]

Quote from 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%?

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.