Tuesday, March 26 2013, 01:26 PM CDT
By: Grace White
foxsanantonio.com

They're a group of people known for living under the radar, because they have no other choice.

Millions of undocumented immigrants leave their home countries and families behind in search of the American dream.

"A lot of people make the claim illegal immigrants don't pay any taxes, but they do. They pay sales taxes, they pay gas taxes. There's a lot of taxes they pay even social security taxes," said Roy Beck, C.E.O. of Numbers U.S.A.

Beck says a 2007 study from the Heritage Foundation shows the taxes undocumented immigrants pay don't cover their bills.

"The typical immigrant household, that is illegal immigrant household pays about 10 thousand dollars in taxes a year and uses about 30,000 dollars of taxpayer services," said Beck.

Jaime Rios says those numbers don't represent people like him.

"For me, it was one of my dreams to have a restaurant one day and well here I am," said Rios.

Rios came to the U.S. illegally but now is a citizen, a business owner and a job creator.

"I want to give something to this country I love, I mean this is my country," said Rios.

Rios says there are more people ready to contribute to our economy.

He says they just need a chance.

"That means that Americans that need help have had to see their services decline," said Beck.

That's what he says could end up costing us.

The Heritage Foundation study says each year, on average, American families pay $330 dollars to take care of immigrant households.

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