Immigration: It’s Time to Dispel the Myths

By DONNA SCHAPER

America's broke — and we don't just mean in the wallet. There are a lot of issues that need fixing in this country and, the way we see it, we have yet to have an informed national discussion about many of them (we can all remember the WWE matches masquerading as "health care debate," can't we?).

Immigration is one of these issues, but it's hard to have a serious conversation about humane reform when Fox News is cracking jokes at the expense of millions of individuals. The sad truth is, mainstream media and right–wing fear mongering dominate populist understanding of issues like immigration reform until myths evolve into 'facts,' and ignorance shapes our public policy.

So, before we make any ill–informed decisions, let's educate ourselves and dispel some of the myths:

• deindustrialization and deregulation have led to a loss of jobs with decent wages and benefits, not immigrants
• migrants only remit about 10% of their household income, so a lot of the money they earn is staying in the country
• immigrants, documented and undocumented, do pay taxes, lots of them: sales, property, and income taxes, and more. And undocumented workers who pay the income tax, don't receive a tax return – that money (well over $500 billion), is sitting pretty in the Earnings Suspense File (ESF) of the Social Security Trust Fund, just waiting for someone to claim in.

Immigrants make up a large part of our country and its workforce. And we need to have an open and civil national discussion that includes all voices, especially theirs, if humane reform is going to take place.

Donna Schaper is the Senior Minister of the Judson Memorial Church in New York City.