If you are an undocumented immigrant living and working in the U.S., you are required to pay income taxes on the income that you receive from working. The fact is that undocumented immigrants pay almost $12 billion per year in taxes, including income, property, sales, and excise taxes. The state of California alone collected $3.2 billion in taxes for the year 2013. According to the Pew Research Center, 50% of the immigrants with no legal status and who are residing in the U.S. pay income taxes, and 75% of these immigrants pay into the Social Security system, despite the fact that they will never receive Social Security benefits unless they become U.S. citizens. In order to file a federal income tax return, you must request an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). An ITIN is necessary for a person who doesn’t have a social security number in order to file a federal income tax return. You can file an income tax return and even get a tax refund if you are entitled to one under federal tax law, regardless of your immigration status. As a general rule, the IRS is prohibited from sharing your income tax return information with others, including other federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, if a federal court orders that the IRS provide information about you and your tax return to another federal agency as part of a criminal investigation, then the IRS must disclose the information. Paying income taxes is a requirement under federal law, but doing so also can help you in the future if you want to obtain a legal immigration status. For instance, showing that you have paid your income taxes as required may help support your case if you are in deportation proceedings. Paying income taxes also can help you when you apply for relief from some immigrant programs, such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The deportation defense lawyers of Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., pride themselves on aggressively representing the interests of those immigrants who are facing potential deportation by American immigration authorities. Our goal is to gather evidence in your favor, build on a strong case on your behalf, and develop a strategy that is best designed to help you remain in the United States and move on with your life. The earlier we can get started with your case, the more likely you are to prevail in your deportation proceedings. Don’t hesitate to contact us today and learn what we can do to assist you.
