Clinton Claims Undocumented Workers in NY Pay More Taxes Than Corporations

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Workers who are undocumented in the US state in New York pay more in taxes than corporations, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said at a roundtable event in Nevada.

“Our undocumented workers in New York pay more in taxes than our corporations in New York,” Clinton said on Tuesday.

Clinton explained she has supported President Barack Obama’s Executive Order on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allows undocumented immigrants who entered the United States before their 16th birthday and before June 2007 to receive a two-year work permit and exemption from deportation.

“I was disappointed when I was a Senator that we could do more for dreamers and for immigration reform but didn’t,” Clinton noted. “I was happy there was bipartisan legislation on immigration reform when I was Secretary of State.”

Clinton concluded that immigration reform is about improving people’s lives and enabling those who have started businesses in the United States and have raised children to contribute to society legally.

She also noted that comprehensive immigration reform needs to give legal representation to undocumented youths and vulnerable groups such as the undocumented LGBT community.

“I’m in favor of [legal] representation, particularly for young people and people from vulnerable populations who might not otherwise have the support they need,” Clinton said on Tuesday.

In response to a question from an undocumented Nevada school student about what would Clinton do to help the undocumented LGBT community, Clinton said she referred to the LGBT community when she talked about vulnerable communities.

“We have to look at how we make the entire [immigration] system humane,” Clinton noted. “We could do a better job if we paid attention to those with violent and illegal behavior.”

Clinton explained, however, that systemic issues related to comprehensive immigration reform can only be changed periodically, but praised the economic benefits of providing the undocumented residents opportunities to contribute to the economy legally.

“So many new small businesses are started by immigrants,” Clinton said. “They should be celebrated, not broken up because of status differences. I will do everything I can to avoid a family breakup.”

Clinton concluded that the United States must do more to provide a safe environment for US undocumented immigrant community, and particularly for its most vulnerable elements.

On April 12, 2015, Clinton announced her bid to seek the Democratic presidential nomination, simultaneously announcing that she was stepping down from the board of the Clinton Foundation.