Monday, April 20, 2009

Fight Ahead for In-State Tuition for DREAMers in New Jersey

The winds of politics are changing, but the foes of In-State Tuition keep thinking that DREAMers don't give to their state.  dreamacttexas  just received a comment this morning that stated undocumented college students take from a pot they didn't contribute to.  It is amazing how people don't seem to hear when told that immigrants pay taxes - 

1.  the money that goes for their social security goes into a black hole... they are not eligible for social security benefits if they are not documented.  

2.  They pay sales tax if they live in states that have a sales tax.  

3.  They pay real estate taxes through the rent they pay - their landlord has to charge enough rent to cover the real estate taxes on the rental property.  

4.  As for the IRS - their wages are subject to Federal Withholding Tax- just like everybody else that lives in the  U.S.  

Everyone has these obligations if they live here:  residents, citizens, and undocumented people.

But as usual, politics rules.  If the New Jersey lawmakers are worried about re-election, and they come from conservative districts, then they have to think twice.  Of course it is more important to worry about re-election than to take a chance by helping some kids go to college.  

The idea of "public service" for legislators (at least when it comes to immigration) has become more like "self-service."

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