Stimulus package for illegals?
Lou Dobbs alert: Illegal immigrants may get rebates
Excerpt:
In their bipartisan zeal to quickly cut a deal on an economic stimulus bill, GOP lawmakers overlooked something that will certainly inflame the conservative base _ illegal immigrants could receive a tax rebate check from the government.
The text of the House passed bill contains language making "non resident aliens" _ illegal immigrants _ ineligible for the tax rebates. But every year, hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants use individual taxpayer identification numbers, known as ITINs, to file income tax returns with the IRS. These ID numbers are used instead of Social Security numbers.
Wiki: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
Excerpt:
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (or ITIN) is a United States tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. It is a nine-digit number that begins with the number 9 and has a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, example 9xx-7x-xxxx or 9xx-8x-xxxx. The IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain, a Social Security Number.
ITINs are issued regardless of immigration status because both resident and nonresident aliens may have Federal tax return and payment responsibilities under the Internal Revenue Code. Individuals must have a filing requirement and file a valid federal income tax return to receive an ITIN, unless they meet an exception.
In 2006 1.4 million people used ITIN when filing taxes. Federal tax law prohibits the IRS from sharing data with other government agencies including the INS, ensuring illegal immigrants that the tax information will be confidential and not be used to deport them.
Comment: Call me crazy, but adjust the stimulus package to exclude illegal immigrants!
Jim, call me crazy, but why aren't people listening to me? :) Oh well, maybe it's because people write me off as a crazy "conspiracy theory guy." There IS going to be a North American Union and boundaries are going to become less rigid and we are going to be thought of as more of a region, like the EU, than a totally sovereign and independent country. That's why there isn't a lot of action taken for illegal immigrants. Why bother with new laws and regulations which will just become moot eventually anyway?
ReplyDeleteI'm a non-resident alien (Graduate Student). I receive a stipend and I pay taxes like anyone else. For all tax purposes, I'm considered a resident: I'm taxed exactly the same as a US citizen within my income bracket and make exactly the same deductions. Now comes the stimulus package which is given from money of the US treasury (which I contribute to as well) and I'm not allowed to the package... I'm not an illegal alien (actually I despise them probably more than most Americans, because I feel cheated all the time) and I paid taxes for every penny I made in this country. I think I should be entitled to the package as well.
ReplyDeleteJim Maia,
ReplyDeleteI think you should too!