On Tax Day, immigrant workers and community advocates presented a symbolic check valued at $300 million to the North Carolina Department of Revenue.
This amount represents the tax payment that immigrants contribute to the state annually, according to an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute and Pew Researchexplained the leaders of Siembra NC, the organization that organized the event.
“We're celebrating what we already know: that our people contribute to this state,” said Kelly Morales, co-director of Siembra NC. “We've contributed enough to this state for it to be able to protect us.”
Morales states that Undocumented immigrants in North Carolina represent one in four construction workers and nearly half of all agricultural workers. They pay taxes, but are not eligible to receive state benefits.
“We can continue organizing to make changes and have more laws that protect workers,” Morales told Enlace Latino NC .
Economic contributions of undocumented immigrants to North Carolina
In accordance with a Carolina Forward analysis, the state It is home to approximately 350,000 undocumented immigrants.
Each year, these immigrants contribute between $258 and $359 million in sales taxes, property taxes, and state income taxes to the state and local communities.
Undocumented immigrants in North Carolina who own their homes – approximately 97.000 of them (33% of the entire undocumented population) – also pay property taxes. Those who rent also pay these taxes indirectly through their monthly rent payment.
Estimates indicate that undocumented immigrants pay between $29,2 and $36,4 million in property taxes each year.
The vast majority of undocumented immigrants in North Carolina also pay state (and federal) taxes. This is because most undocumented workers are actually "on the books" and use fake Social Security numbers or government ITINs, which means their taxes are automatically withheld.
Although the nature of undocumented workers is impossible to specify an exact amount, the analysis conservatively estimates that this group contributes between 61,9 and 61,9 million dollars per year.
This does not include federal contributions, which workers also pay
Undocumented immigrants also pay, as do programs like Social Security and Medicare, neither of which undocumented immigrants are entitled to receive. Contributions that are not even recognized even if they legalize their immigration status.
HB10 Project: Challenge for the immigrant community in North Carolina
The organizers also repudiated the House Bill 10, which is expected to be introduced and approved by the state Senate when Republican legislative leaders return to the floor. short session next week.
The bill requires sheriffs to cooperate with requests from federal immigration officials to detain suspected undocumented immigrants without a warrant.
Millionaire contributions from undocumented immigrants in the United States
📌 11.6 billion in state and local taxes contributed by undocumented immigrants in the United States
📌 In 2019 more than 2.5 million tax returns were filed by undocumented immigrants who have an ITIN number, according to the IRS. This is reflected in the contribution of 6 billion dollars in tax payments.
Source: Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)
“HB10 is a tactic being used nationally to try to bring the border to our state,” Morales said. “We know these are things fabricated by the legislature to try to garner more votes in November.”
Contrary to the narrative pushed by the GOP (Republican Party), Nicole Quick of Carolina Forward stated that data shows that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native-born citizens.
Instead of implementing restrictive policies for immigrants, leaders advocated for labor protections and sanctions for employers who break the law.
Braxton Winston, Democratic candidate for Labor Commissioner, pointed out the contradiction between anti-immigrant rhetoric and dependence on immigrant labor.
“It's especially ironic that leaders in the business community complain about immigration status and immigration laws,” Winston said. “These are some of the same people who are profiting from their practices based on recruiting undocumented immigrants.”
If the project moves forward, Morales warned that it would generate fear in North Carolina's immigrant community, but stated that they will continue to advocate, especially among young Latinos eligible to vote.
"We are here to remind our Latino and migrant people that we have rights and that we will continue to be here defending them," he added.
Little labor protection in the state
Two workers narrated their experience with labor exploitation, including wage theft. Morales said this often happens when undocumented immigrants have no legal recourse.
“My payments haven't started coming in. I've spoken to the employers I worked for and they haven't given me a response,” said Angie, a member of Siembra UNC, to Enlace Latino NC .
Siembra NC seeks to ensure that companies that steal wages are criminally prosecuted, as is the case in states such as Minneapolis and Illinois. In addition, they advocate that there be an office where undocumented workers can make their claims to the state.
"We're asking for a center where we can complain and where they can follow up on us because they're not filing our papers because we're undocumented," Angie said.
Angie still hasn't been able to resolve her case.
With the help of Siembra NC, she hopes to be one of the workers who manages to recover her salary.
The North Carolina Department of Labor has refused to investigate 100% of the nearly three dozen cases that Siembra NC worker advocates have referred to the department over the past three years, according to its statement.
The organization has worked with private attorneys to threaten lawsuits against employers. This has resulted in dozens of workers recovering more than $80,000 in stolen wages recovered in the last year alone.
“The Department of Labor has done nothing to help our people,” Morales said. “We are here to remind those in power that we are contributing, and instead of lying, we need them to pass laws to protect us.”
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Just FYI there's a typo in the story and the caption that says the symbolic check was 300 “billion” when it says “million.”
Thanks for your observation.