do undocumented workers contribute to payroll taxes?

[NNguyenMD]

Are payroll taxes Federal or state taxes? Do illegal immigrants contribute to payroll taxes in jobs they take at places like Walmart or as Hotel maids?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Yes..usually via false social security numbers

http://www.urban.org/Template.cfm?NavMenuID=24&template=/TaggedContent/ViewPublication.cfm&PublicationID=5868#II

and although it's off topic to your post, they also do NOT drain our healthcare resources:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1653465&mesg_id=1653465

[NNguyenMD]

2. thats what I thought exactly, I made the payroll taxes argument to a

well meaning but misguided friend who went on a rant about illegals draining our healthcare system in her blog. She cliamed that they paid no taxes, well looks like she's wrong.

[WhiteTara]

3. anyone who receives a pay check

pays income tax and social security taxes. If they are undocumented, then they never see one cent of the SS benefit. Usually, they will declare the largest number of dependents possible so that they won't have to pay too much in income tax.

[EFerrari]

4. And sales tax. n/t

[WhiteTara]

9. and state income tax

and don't forget SDI (in California)

[EFerrari]

5. It depends.

It they are paid under the table or in cash, no.

But if they are using a social security number, then yes they do.

And another thing, most people from third world cultures avoid doctors and still have the suspicion that hospitals are places where you go to die.

[NNguyenMD]

6. is under the table pay more likely at a small business like a farm

restaurant, or landscapung business?

[MercutioATC]

7. Smaller ones, yes.

Bigger companies don't want to risk it, usually.

[EFerrari]

8. Sure -- high turn over, usually short term work with no

job security at all.

I used to translate Spanish/English in San Francisco County. One of the "benefits" of hiring undocumented workers is that they can't file any kind of complaint -- including for rape -- and if you turn them in on pay day, you get an "attaboy" for upholding the law.

It's a terrible situation.