Illegal Immigrants File Tax Returns with the IRS

While the debate about immigration rages on, illegal immigrants are doing something that ties them to almost every American: filing tax returns. Although not every illegal immigrant pays taxes, more and more are making use of an Individual Tax Identification Number provided by the IRS to file on April 17th.

The Individual Tax Identification Number was created by the IRS as a way of getting money from foreigner investors generating income in the United States. Although there are many foreign investors that regularly use this number to report income, sources say illegal immigrants are the largest group using this number.

Filing a tax return and having an Individual Tax Identification Number is a way of creating a financial history that allows for loans to purchase a house or even a car, allowing for a better quality of life. And by filing tax returns, illegals are able to create one more item that might help their application for citizenship.

Although many people may think that filing an IRS return as an immigrant may be a way to get deported, experts say that immigration and tax departments rarely share information with each other. However, filing a tax return opens immigrants to the possibility of an IRS audit. Being flagged by an audit could cause them to attract the attention of immigration officials, something that many are eager to avoid.

Critics are concerned that these numbers provide illegal immigrants with one more way of intertwining themselves into a country that they entered by breaking the law. They propose that the IRS works with other government agencies to prevent any person illegally in the country from establishing more ties in the United States.

Supporters claim that critics of the practice oppose it because it counters the image of illegal immigrants as remorseless law breakers. They also point out that illegal immigrants pay more in taxes than citizens because they often do not qualify for certain deductions.