Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
l~ <br />Immigrant Communities: Myths and Realities <br />Immigrants take away jobs from Americans. Research shows immigrants often create <br />businesses and provide j obs to other immigrants and Americans as well. This contributes <br />substantially to the economy of this country. According to a report on The Economic Impact <br />of the Hispanic Population on the State of North Carolina, in 2002, there were 9,047 <br />Hispanic-owned businesses in North Carolina that generated $ 1.8 billion in sales and <br />receipts. The potential forfurther Hispanic business development is immense. This <br />potential will not be achieved, however, unless barriers are addressed (e.g., complex English <br />language only legal and reporting documents, lack of credit histories and associated <br />financing) that limitthe start up and growth of Hispanic businesses. <br />Immigrants do not oavtaxes. The tax contribution for immigrants is high. Without their <br />contribution, the output of goods and services in the U.S would be at least $1 trillion less <br />than it is today. Immigrants earn $240 billion a year and pay $ 90 billion a year in taxes. <br />The U.S. Social Security administration has estimated thatthree quarters of undocumented <br />immigrants pay payroll taxes, their contribution is between $6 - 7 billion dollars in Social <br />Security funds that they will not be able to claim. In North Carolina, Hispanics after-tax <br />income totaled an estimated $8.3 billion in 2004. Their annual contribution in direct and <br />indirect taxes was approximately $ 756 million. <br />America is beingoverrun by immigrants. Even though the immigrant population has <br />increased in recent years, they still continue to be a small percentage in comparison with the <br />rest of the population. According to the 2000 Census, 22 percent of U.S. counties lost <br />immigrant population between 1990 and 2000. <br />Immigrants contribute little to American society. Immigrants are concerned aboutthe values <br />of education, family unity and respect of the law. Historically immigrants have made <br />significant contributions to the defense of America. For example, on July 3, 2002, President <br />Bush recognized the contributions of immigrants in the U.S. Armed Forces by signi ng an <br />executive order that provided for "expedited naturalization" ofnon-citizen men a nd women <br />on active-duty since September 11, 2001. The order granted some 15,000 members of the <br />U.S. military who served fewer than three years the right to apply for expedited citizenship in <br />10 <br />