Media Views

One of the most common myths is that undocumented workers drain government resources.... But as Media Matters notes, "Even documented immigrants are ineligible for most forms of public assistance for the first five years."... Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill...wonder[ed] aloud if there was some secret line at retail outlets where undocumented workers bought their goods without paying sales tax. (Sales taxes represent the largest share of taxes paid by all low-income workers.) Moreover, the Media Matters report points out that most undocumented workers use false Social Security numbers to get jobs and, through paycheck deductions, pay taxes that they will never be able to draw benefits from.