From Albert Lea to Zumbrota, our state thrives because all Minnesotans — regardless of immigration status — are contributing to our economy. According to a new report from the
Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), undocumented immigrants in Minnesota, who are integral to our communities, contributed $222 million in state and local taxes in 2022. Their vital economic participation helps fund the public services we all rely on, from schools to health care, ensuring our families and communities stay strong.
For the nation as a whole, ITEP estimates that undocumented immigrants made $59.4 billion in federal tax contributions and $37.3 billion in state and local tax contributions in 2022. That means that undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are contributing an average of $8,889 per person in federal, state, and local taxes. They make these tax contributions in many ways, including sales tax when making everyday purchases, property tax through their rents or on homes they own, and income taxes that are deducted from paychecks or paid during tax-filing season. In all, ITEP estimates that undocumented immigrants in the U.S. pay 26.1 percent of their incomes in federal, state, and local taxes. That is very similar to the rate that U.S. citizens with median incomes pay.
Undocumented immigrants contribute significantly to the prosperity of both our nation and our state. Their taxes fund the public services — such as roads, schools, and health care — that help keep our communities running and build a higher quality of life for us all. However, more than one-third of the taxes they pay are in payroll taxes that fund services they are currently ineligible to receive, including unemployment insurance, Social Security, and Medicare. This means that undocumented immigrants are left without a safety net if they lose their jobs or when they reach retirement age, despite contributing to these systems in the same way as their co-workers.
Immigration reform is essential for creating a more just and equitable system that better serves individuals, families, and communities. ITEP estimates that immigration reforms that provide access to work authorization would increase economic opportunities available to our immigrant neighbors and increase their tax contributions substantially.
When undocumented immigrants have access to work authorization and legal status, their tax contributions can be higher because they have more opportunity to take jobs that match their full range of abilities and can build on and develop additional skills to increase their income. ITEP estimates that expanding legal status to undocumented immigrants would increase Minnesota state and local tax revenue by $72 million. Nationally, if undocumented immigrants had access to work authorization, that could result in an estimated $33.1 billion in additional federal tax revenue and an additional $7.1 billion to states and localities.
Despite their crucial roles in our communities and economy, undocumented immigrants and their families may pay more in taxes than U.S. citizens with comparable incomes and family structures. One reason is that undocumented immigrants are excluded from important benefits of the federal tax code that their fellow workers and neighbors can receive. For example, only tax-filers with a Social Security Number currently qualify to receive the federal Child Tax Credit, which is an effective policy that reduces hardship and childhood poverty.
Minnesota has taken some steps towards a more inclusive state tax system by removing arbitrary barriers for folks who file their taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITINs) instead of a Social Security Number because of their immigration status, including folks who are undocumented. Minnesotans with ITINs who meet all other eligibility requirements can file for income-boosting state tax credits like the Minnesota Child Tax Credit, Working Family Credit, and property tax refunds for homeowners and renters.
Policies that expand opportunity not only acknowledge the contributions that undocumented immigrants already make, but also build a stronger economy for all of us. Undocumented immigrants are an integral part of Minnesota’s success, contributing as workers, business owners, volunteers, and neighbors. By ensuring that they have full access to opportunities to contribute their talents, we strengthen our communities and our economy — benefiting us all. Creating paths to work authorization and legal status for undocumented immigrants will further strengthen our communities, and increase economic activity and tax revenue.
Thank you to Luis Argueta and Sara Lopez of Unidos MN for their feedback on this analysis.