Do illegal immigrants pay taxes? Do they make a positive financial contribution or cost taxpayers tons of money? According to The Mercury News, a prominent SF Bay Area news outlet: "Undocumented residents in the United States pay an estimated $11.74 billion annually in state and local taxes."
WOW! Illegal immigrants pay nearly $12 billion in taxes annually! Sounds great, doesn't it? Democrats always say that illegal immigrants make a positive financial contribution to America and more than pay for the state and local government services they use. Maybe the Democrats are right.
Or are they?
According to MercuryNews.com: "Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform said the $11.74 billion tax contribution covers only a small fraction of what undocumented residents and their dependents use in government services. The Washington, D.C. organization, which favors stricter immigration enforcement, estimates it collectively costs state and local governments about $84 billion a year to provide education, health care, public safety and other services to undocumented residents and their dependents."
Hmm. Illegal immigrants use $84 billion in services and only pay $12 billion? Using third-grade math, that's a financial deficit of more than $70 billion! Annually. And who's paying for it? You are.
