Immigrants in Colorado filing taxes despite fear of arrest or deportation

It's a fact that immigrants pay taxes. Many in Colorado are filing this season -- some for the first time, having newly arrived in the U.S. -- despite expressing new or renewed fear that filing taxes could expose them to arrest, deportation, or issues in their process to gain citizenship.

The Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington D.C., estimates that in 2022, undocumented immigrants alone paid nearly $100 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. But now some immigrants are concerned that giving their information to the federal government might cause them harm in the future.

A Venezuelan immigrant in Colorado, who didn't want to be named to protect her identity, says that for the first time in their lives, she and her husband are going to file a tax return in the United States. 

But she admits that after ICE raids and anti-immigrant rhetoric, some immigrants are afraid to file.

"There are some who are afraid to declare because when one declares taxes, they have to present the social security number. They are afraid that filing taxes might harm them in some process or something," she said in Spanish.

Of that approximately $100 billion in taxes paid by undocumented immigrants in 2022, about $59.4 billion was in federal taxes and $37.3 billion was in state and local taxes, according to a 2024 study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. More than a third of those went to Medicaid, Social Security, and unemployment insurance.

Papa Dia is the founder and executive director of the African Leadership Group, a nonprofit that helps the African diaspora in the Denver metro area. He too has seen a lot of people afraid to file a tax return for the same reasons, but he says you might get money back. Especially if you have kids and you don't want to miss out.

"You're leaving money on the table. And when you leave money on the table, you might miss an opportunity to build something for your family," Dia said.

He understands the fear of giving your most personal information to the government many immigrants have, but he says if you ever want to become a citizen, filing taxes will only help your case.

"Having a W-2 showing your tax return is very important and especially even, (toward) your path to citizenship in this country," Dia said. You've got to be able to showcase that you pay taxes."

This is exactly why the immigrant family who spoke with CBS News Colorado's Michael Abeyta is filing.

"We're doing everything under the law, so that in case of any problem or something, (at least) we have already declared taxes," said the mother of the family.

African Leadership Group is offering a free navigation service to help people get their income tax returns prepared and filed.