Thread: Dispelling illegal immigration myths

http://www.thefranklinpress.com/article ... 02news.txt

Dispelling illegal immigration myths
By Colin McCandless, staff writer



On Monday, July 31, Macon County held a forum on the economic impacts on illegal immigration.

The issue of illegal immigration has become a contentious topic sparking national debate and producing opinions almost as varied as our country's heterogeneous composition. To say that the question about what to do with the10-11 million undocumented immigrants that are already here is a complex one would be the understatement of the new millenium.

Political parties are divided within their ranks over the answer and within the citizenry there are extremes on both sides but no clear stance of the majority. People seem to agree on one point though: immigration law needs to be reformed. Some favor deportation or other punitive measures, some amnesty and others temporary work permits.

While some viewpoints in regards to illegal immigration reference the facts, misconceptions and misunderstandings about federal laws applying to illegal immigrants abound.

Below is information provided through county services and non-profits that interact with immigrants as well as statewide and national studies that may help to clarify mistaken assumptions regarding illegal aliens.


This by no means condones their actions coming here unauthorized. They have broken the law, either by avoiding detection of an inspection officer, using fake documents or overstaying their visa. Yet evidence corroborates that immigrants - whether authorized or unauthorized - contribute to the economy and do not all come here to take advantage of benefits, most of which they are ineligible to receive.

Myth: All immigrants have access to food stamps: In the Food Stamp Program, undocumented immigrants are classified as aliens and cannot receive food stamps. However, their household is eligible to receive food stamps if they have children born in the United States or an U.S. citizen in their household.

Myth: Undocumented citizens always have access to Medicaid: Illegal immigrants can receive Medicaid through Emergency Services and Presumptive Eligibility, and are not eligible for ongoing Medicaid.

Source: Macon County Department of Social Services

Myth: Undocumented immigrants come to the United States to live off welfare: Undocumented men come to the U.S. almost exclusively to work. In 2003, over 90 percent of undocumented men worked - a rate higher than that for U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. Undocumented immigrants are mostly ineligible for welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and other public benefits. Refugees, asylees and some legal immigrants are eligible to receive public benefits.



According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1999, approximately one in five foreign-born householders received benefits such as food stamps and housing assistance. These were mostly refugees and elderly immigrants. According to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, undocumented immigrants are eligible for public health, emergency services and programs identified by the attorney general as necessary for the protection of life and safety.

Myth: Illegal immigrants do not pay taxes: The IRS developed a tax form called a W-7 that illegal immigrants fill out to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). The IRS issues them this nine-digit number that allows illegal aliens with taxable income to pay federal taxes. The state also takes a piece. It is a subdivision of the broad category of tax ID numbers. If paid cash immigrants can be issued a W-2 or a 1099 to estimate how much they have made so they can do a tax return.

If using a fake social security number, undocumented workers can have Social Security and Medicaid taxes deducted from their paycheck, but they do not receive Social Security and Medicaid benefits. The U.S. Social Security Administration estimated that three quarters of undocumented immigrants pay payroll taxes, and a study conducted in 2005 found that they contribute $6-7 billion in Social Security funds that they will be unable to claim. They also found that over the next 75 years, new legal immigrants to the United States would contribute $611 billion to the Social Security system.

Undocumented immigrants pay the same real estate taxes - whether they own homes or taxes are passed through to rents - and the same sales and other consumption taxes as other legalized citizens.

Sources: “Undocumented Immigrants: Myths and Reality.” Capps, Randy. The Urban Institute. Fix, Michael. Migration Policy Institute. October 25, 2005.

Jill Montana. International Friendship Center.

Levinson, Amanda. “Immigrants and Welfare Use.” Migration Policy Institute. August 2002.

Justice for Immigrants: www.justiceforimmigrants.org

Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights: www.energyofanation.org

Myth: Hispanic immigrants adversely affect North Carolina's economy



A study released Jan. 3 by researchers of the Frank Hawkins Kenan - Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina found that the Hispanic population contributes $9 billion to the state's economy. They cost the state budget a net $102 per Hispanic resident in health care, education and correctional services.

The studies authors, John D. Kasarda, director of the Kenan Institute and James H. Johnson Jr., director of the institute's Urban Investment Strategies Center, found that if migration trends continue, the total economic impact of Hispanic spending in the state could double to 18 billion by 2009.

“Immigrants from Latin America, authorized or unauthorized, are dramatically changing North Carolina's demographic and economic landscape,” Kasarda and Johnson were quoted as saying.

Other Study Findings

North Carolina exports to Latin America have increased in recent years. Such exports were responsible for nearly 70,000 jobs and $231 million in state and local taxes.

Hispanics filled one in three jobs created in North Carolina between 1995 and 2005 and provided 29 percent of the labor force in the construction industry.



North Carolina's Hispanic population totaled 600, 913 or 7 percent of the state's total population, in 2004. The average Hispanic household earns $32,000 annually compared to $45,700 for non-Hispanics.

Hispanics contribute $756 million annually in taxes (direct and indirect), costing the state budget $817 million annually for K-12 education ($467 million), health care ($299 million) and corrections ($51 million) - for a net cost to the state of $61 million, or $102 per Hispanic resident.

Source: Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. To access the full report visit www.kenanflagler.unc.edu/KI/reports/2006_Hispanic.study

Myth: Immigrants impose a disproportionate financial burden on the U.S. health care system: Immigrants in the United States spend less than half what native-born residents spend per capita on health care, according to a 2005 study conducted by Harvard and Columbia Universities and published in the American Journal of Public Health. In this first national study on the health care expenditures of immigrants, the authors analyzed 1998 government data from the U.S. Department of Health's Agency for Healthcare Research to compare what immigrants and the native-born spent on emergency room visits, hospital visits and prescription drugs.

The study found:



On average, an immigrant spent $1,139 annually on health care, compared with $2,546 for a U.S.-born resident. Latinos spent even less. U.S. born Latinos spent $1,870, compared with $962 for foreign-born Latinos.

The study also found that immigrant children received significantly less health care than U.S.-born children: 71 percent less in doctor's visits and 72 percent less prescription medications.

Although immigrant children visited emergency rooms half as much as U.S.-born children, their average per capita expenditures were greater

Source:

www.rednova.com/news/health/187126/stud ... index.html

Myth: Hispanic is a term denoting race: The word Hispanic does not indicate a racial identification, but rather a regional identification. In its definition of Hispanic, the U.S. Census Bureau relates that Hispanics were those who reported being from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico or Central and South America. The entry further proclaims: “It should be noted that persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.”

(Source: The Hispanic Population in the United States: March 1993, Current Population Reports, Population Characteristics)

Misconception: people substituting the word Hispanic for Mexican and using the two words interchangeably to describe illegals.

“That's a fallacy,” said Edda Bennett, director of the Latino Outreach Center in Franklin. “It's wrong to label people like that.”

Bennett said they see an average of 80-90 Hispanic people a month who originate from all different countries in Latin America such as Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia.

Misconception: Immigrants don't want to learn English: Within 10 years of arrival, more than 75 percent of immigrants speak English well. Demand for English classes far exceeds supply.

Misconception: Supply of visas and work permits for low-skilled workers meets demand: Current legal limits on both temporary and permanent immigration remain largely unresponsive to changes in labor demand as a result of arbitrary numerical limits. Only 66,000 visas per year are available to low-skilled, nonagricultural workers to enter the country legally to work. The H-2A program for agricultural workers brings in about 30,000 workers a year, yet hundreds of thousands of jobs per year in these sectors are filled with immigrant labor, including undocumented immigrants.

Sources:

American Immigration Lawyers Association: www.aila.org

Justice for Immigrants: www.justiceforimmigrants.org

Edda Bennett, Latino Outreach Center

If using a fake social security number, undocumented workers can have Social Security and Medicaid taxes deducted from their paycheck, but they do not receive Social Security and Medicaid benefits.

And that's the way it should be. If they are using a fake SSN, technically it isn't their name on the SSN or Medicaid benefits. ITS CALLED ID FRAUD.

Myth: Undocumented immigrants come to the United States to live off welfare: Undocumented men come to the U.S. almost exclusively to work. In 2003, over 90 percent of undocumented men worked - a rate higher than that for U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. Undocumented immigrants are mostly ineligible for welfare, food stamps, Medicaid and other public benefits. Refugees, asylees and some legal immigrants are eligible to receive public benefits

That is not how it works! Anchor baby qualifies for welfare but baby cannot cash a check so the welfare check is sent in the illegal parents name and they cash the anchor babies check. So if the welfare check is in your name and you are cashing it, you are receiving welfare.

Below is information provided through county services and non-profits that interact with immigrants as well as statewide and national studies that may help to clarify mistaken assumptions regarding illegal aliens.

Survey says: An obvious waste of time and assets which could be better spent filling the needs of legal residents. It's amazing how far some will go to 'dispell' the myths. Why is it so important to dispell the myths rather than perpetuate the truths? Smells like illegal motivation.

ruthiela:

I read this article too, (but it slipped through the sieve I call a mind). Thank you for posting it.

The one thing that struck me were the "sources" this guy used. There was some really careful pickin' and choosin' going on here. I may have missed it, but he doesn't adress the prison population and associated costs.

Here are some figures:

• In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding warrants for homicide (which total 1,200 to 1,500) target illegal aliens. Up to two-thirds of all fugitive felony warrants (17,000) are for illegal aliens.

The whole article is here:

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/back704.html

Statistics don't lie, but liars are statisticians.

for a net cost to the state of $61 million, or $102 per Hispanic resident.

Whey should there be any net cost?? So just what is the contribution?? They don't pay any taxes! If they sign up on a W-2, then they just increase the deductions to 0 it out....and if any taxes are owed than a lot of them have moved on and changed ID's. It is a myth that they PAY taxes. They have every other con job down, you really think they don't know how to get out of paying taxes???