Fact or myth? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

kimmytr · 05-06-2003, 05:53 PM

Most people from where I work were very, very convinced that all immigrants come to this country (USA) don't have to pay income tax for the first 7 years. Is it true or just a myth? Does anyone have any proof or documents to prove it one way or anoher?

Mael · 05-06-2003, 06:12 PM

i've heard that, but i don't know if it's true. supposidly that's why arabs bring their extended familys over, they give their party stores to their cousins and keep the money coming in tax free. don't know if it's true or not though.

rock_bottom · 05-06-2003, 06:12 PM

<a href="http://www.snopes.com/business/taxes/immigrat.htm">Linkz0r</a>

Quote:

Claim: The U.S. government grants a seven-year tax holiday to certain favored groups of immigrants and provides them with free housing, new cars, and clothing allowances as well.

Status: False.

Origins: Forget about it; nobody is getting any breaks. The U.S. government wants taxes from everybody, native-born or newly-arrived.

Stories about immigrants' receiving new cars, apartments and clothing allowances from the government and being exempted from paying taxes date to the late 1960s -- that's how old this canard is. Often the "while poor American kids are starving" kicker is added to these tales, provoking a righteously indignant response from those who hear it.

Almost without exception, versions of this rumor mention a single specific ethnic group. The tale isn't about wanting to close the borders to all immigrants; it's a backlash against one particular group of new arrivals -- usually one which is perceived to have developed a sudden large presence in the teller's neighborhood.

In Miami, it's Cubans who are said to be getting all those government goodies. In Detroit, it's recently-arrived Arabs. And all over the U.S.A., Asians are rumored to be getting those tax breaks, free shoes, new cars, and interest-free loans.

By implication, newcomers who are not members of the favored group are on the hook like the rest of us -- they have to pay the same taxes anyone born in the United States would. Depending on the version of the rumor you hear, members of the favored group are entitled to a seven (or five) year income tax holiday. Another detail of the rumor has the government obligated to buy each of them a new car. An even wilder detail gives each immigrant a tax holiday, a new car, a house, and a shoe allowance. In some versions, the tax-exempt status is said to be transferable to others -- the usual method being that a blood relative takes over title to the immigrant's business at the end of the tax holiday period, thereby extending the tax break for another seven years.

This isn't a U.S.A.-specific legend. It was sighted in Australia in 1986, and there the favored group was said to be the Vietnamese. (In that rumor the immigrants got a new car as well as a tax exemption. Not a flashy sportscar or anything like that, but at least a reasonably ubiquitous family sedan.)

A kissing cousin of this legend exists in the UK, where it's known as "The Secret Furniture Store." According to this tale, immigrants to the UK know only two words of English: "Social Security." Upon their arrival at the port of entry, immigrants utter these words to the immigration officer on duty, causing a special social worker to be summoned. The immigrants are then taken by the social worker to a secret warehouse, where they are allowed to choose color televisions, living room sets, beds, stoves, and whatever else they need. Everything they pick out is loaded onto a truck for delivery to their new home. The immigrants are also given keys to a new municipal dwelling, along with registration books for welfare benefits for all the family.

Another persistent U.S.A. rumor has it that Asians are exempt from paying sales tax.

None of the above happen. But you can see how believing it adds to the backlash against the newer groups' elbowing their way into an established society. Rumors like these identify the recent arrivals as a "drain on society," plus they give all the hard-working, non-recent immigrants even more reason to hate the parvenus. If there's an extra slice of pie to be had, it should be going to those who are already here, not to those who just waltzed in, says the rumor. It's just not fair.

This is a rumor of resentment. Those who have been here for a while look around their neighborhood and see what they perceive as too many of an identifiable group of new arrivals upsetting their apple cart. Rather than identifying their feelings as "We were here first, and we don't want you lot changing the world we've built," they channel resentment that cannot be expressed honestly into a rumor that focuses their bad feelings on the last group through the gate but also provides a justification for expressing those feelings. A proper conscience does not rest comfortably when its owner's anger is being directed at a group that doesn't deserve it. However, give that conscience a reason to believe that the other group has done something to merit displeasure, and the restraints are lifted. It becomes okay to resent, and even to hate.

It's often a rare immigrant indeed who believes the borders shouldn't have been closed right after he crossed them.

Barbara "quick of mind and nimby of foot" Mikkelson

The_Dude · 05-06-2003, 06:55 PM

bull crap, my parents are immigrants and we paid all the taxes.

guthmund · 05-06-2003, 07:52 PM

I love Snopes.com....

Janie · 05-06-2003, 07:59 PM

haha
good one, haven't heard that yet
i don't see how anyone can believe the government would ever give ANYONE (except maybe its own employees) tax breaks, or free things.

hilbert25 · 05-07-2003, 01:41 AM

That's just funny, if that was the case, there wouldn't be any illegals... Of course there are people who do come over to have kids, allowing US welfare to pay for the kids while they screw around all day.

Roark · 05-07-2003, 03:18 AM

I though immigrants got tax breaks and other loan incentives when it came to businesses? I remember someone mentioning that when a friend mentioned why all the burger kings, mickie d's and convience stores in my area are owned by middle eastern men.

Then again if their work ethic is half what some of the Japaneese people I know it's just hard work and due diligence that got 'em that. We're just lazy.

Cynthetiq · 05-07-2003, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roark
I though immigrants got tax breaks and other loan incentives when it came to businesses? I remember someone mentioning that when a friend mentioned why all the burger kings, mickie d's and convience stores in my area are owned by middle eastern men.

Then again if their work ethic is half what some of the Japaneese people I know it's just hard work and due diligence that got 'em that. We're just lazy.

Roark you got it right on the head. Laziness.

There are plenty of programs that assist people into getting money for business, home, and schooling. One just has to try.

Anyone who holds a greencard has to pay taxes just like any naturalized citizen. Heck even some of the illegals pay taxes so that they don't get flushed out as illegals.

BoCo · 05-07-2003, 05:44 AM

What are "taxes"??? Should I be worried?

Daval · 05-07-2003, 05:54 AM

grin, it would be worth moving to the states for 7 years if I got to keep all my earnings!

shalafi · 05-07-2003, 06:21 AM

just be an illegal immigrant. no SSN so you dont have to pay taxes and some states you can even get welfare and free healthcare

bender · 05-07-2003, 12:00 PM

I love the myths they kill me.

Reese · 05-07-2003, 01:12 PM

Quote:

I though immigrants got tax breaks and other loan incentives when it came to businesses? I remember someone mentioning that when a friend mentioned why all the burger kings, mickie d's and convience stores in my area are owned by middle eastern men.

There are a few reasons it seems all stores are owned by immigrants. I was visiting the INS website recently and one of the types of visa you can obtain is a business visa, where you can take a closed or failing business, if you raise the productivity 20% then you keep the visa but Im at the INS webpage now and I can't find where it says that anywhere and I'm starting to think I dreamed it.

Another reason you see alot of immigrants owning retail stores in inner cities is because the cheap land and buildings and little compitition from large store brands.
Source: http://opus1.org/others/killerapps/i...nt_stores.html

kimmytr · 05-07-2003, 03:51 PM

Thank you, Rock- bottom, that's exactly what I'm looking for.It's nice to know you have some place to turn when you've got a question!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you !!!!!!!!!!

Liquor Dealer · 05-07-2003, 04:11 PM

Many immigrants - and in our area they are nearly all illegals from Mexico are very versed in how to obtain every known government benefit that has ever been available since day 1. They know how to milk the system for everything it is worth. The local Mexican Holy Roller church has classes to teach them about the "entitlment programs". They do pay taxes and they do pay social security - not necessarily to their own account. Recently they found over 300 of them in our local area that were all using the same social security number. I guess in a way this is good because they are pumping money into the system that they will never be able to get back.

05-06-2003, 05:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
kimmytr Upright	Fact or myth? Most people from where I work were very, very convinced that all immigrants come to this country (USA) don't have to pay income tax for the first 7 years. Is it true or just a myth? Does anyone have any proof or documents to prove it one way or anoher?

05-06-2003, 06:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	bull crap, my parents are immigrants and we paid all the taxes. __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

05-06-2003, 07:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	I love Snopes.com.... __________________ No signature. None. Seriously.

05-06-2003, 07:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
Janie Insane Location: Greater Vancouver	haha good one, haven't heard that yet i don't see how anyone can believe the government would ever give ANYONE (except maybe its own employees) tax breaks, or free things. __________________ cheers to the motherland

05-07-2003, 05:44 AM	#10 (permalink)
BoCo Fear the bunny Location: Hanging off the tip of the Right Wing	What are "taxes"??? Should I be worried? __________________ Activism is a way for useless people to feel important.

05-06-2003, 06:12 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mael Banned Location: The Hell I Created.	i've heard that, but i don't know if it's true. supposidly that's why arabs bring their extended familys over, they give their party stores to their cousins and keep the money coming in tax free. don't know if it's true or not though.

05-07-2003, 01:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
hilbert25 Psycho Location: nOvA	That's just funny, if that was the case, there wouldn't be any illegals... Of course there are people who do come over to have kids, allowing US welfare to pay for the kids while they screw around all day.

05-07-2003, 03:18 AM	#8 (permalink)
Roark Insane	I though immigrants got tax breaks and other loan incentives when it came to businesses? I remember someone mentioning that when a friend mentioned why all the burger kings, mickie d's and convience stores in my area are owned by middle eastern men. Then again if their work ethic is half what some of the Japaneese people I know it's just hard work and due diligence that got 'em that. We're just lazy.

05-07-2003, 05:54 AM	#11 (permalink)
Daval Junkie Location: The True North Strong and Free!	grin, it would be worth moving to the states for 7 years if I got to keep all my earnings! __________________ "It is impossible to obtain a conviction for sodomy from an English jury. Half of them don't believe that it can physically be done, and the other half are doing it." Winston Churchill

05-07-2003, 06:21 AM	#12 (permalink)
shalafi ARRRRRRRRRR Location: Stuart, Florida	just be an illegal immigrant. no SSN so you dont have to pay taxes and some states you can even get welfare and free healthcare

05-07-2003, 12:00 PM	#13 (permalink)
bender Addict Location: around the corner	I love the myths they kill me.

05-07-2003, 03:51 PM	#15 (permalink)
kimmytr Upright	Thank you, Rock- bottom, that's exactly what I'm looking for.It's nice to know you have some place to turn when you've got a question!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you !!!!!!!!!!

05-07-2003, 04:11 PM	#16 (permalink)
Liquor Dealer Super Agitator Location: Just SW of Nowhere!!! In the good old US of A	Many immigrants - and in our area they are nearly all illegals from Mexico are very versed in how to obtain every known government benefit that has ever been available since day 1. They know how to milk the system for everything it is worth. The local Mexican Holy Roller church has classes to teach them about the "entitlment programs". They do pay taxes and they do pay social security - not necessarily to their own account. Recently they found over 300 of them in our local area that were all using the same social security number. I guess in a way this is good because they are pumping money into the system that they will never be able to get back. __________________ Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!