[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13702]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF IMMIGRANTS

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                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 24, 2008

  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, the positive contributions of the immigrant 
labor force to our society are too often unnoticed.
  Hardworking families contribute daily and pay their share into the 
American system.
  Hardworking mothers sometimes work three jobs, give up weekends, and 
take overtime and night shifts to feed and clothe their children.
  Hardworking fathers wake up at 4 a.m. to go to work, earn below 
minimum wages, and manage to provide for their families.
  Immigrants contribute in taxes from their paychecks, just like the 
next person.
  In fact, the IRS reported that between 1996-2003, immigrants 
contributed $50 billion in Federal taxes.
  Social Security reported that ``other than legal immigrants,'' will 
contribute 15 percent of the system's projected long term deficit.
  We cannot afford to ignore the figures and more importantly, we 
cannot afford to ignore the positive contributions of immigrants in 
America.

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