A Taxing "freeSpeech" Issue
If you watched the "Evening News" last night, you saw a different kind of "freeSpeech" segment than we've gotten used to. The speaker, "Carlos," spoke anonymously about his situation as an immigrant facing deportation despite having spent most of his life in America (you can click the picture below to watch). An interesting approach to the segment, to say the least, but one that seems to have gotten not a few folks stirred up. Over at the "Couric & Co." blog, editor Greg Kandra takes notes of one big complaint: An assertion by "Carlos" that his parents had paid taxes almost since first arriving in the country. Some wondered how that could be done legally (without a stolen identity) without a Social Security number. Producer Marc Rosenwasser, who supervises the segment, responded
Video: As the producer of "freeSpeech," I want to clarify one point about the comment by "Carlos" that his family paid taxesSome viewers said that was impossible because his parents had no Social Security numbers.
This is quoting from the IRS: "An ITIN, or individual Taxpayer Identification Number, is a tax processing number only available for certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses, and dependents who cannot get a Social Security Number."
That is what Carlos told us his father used once he was employed in this country. Carlos also said everyone in his family has an ITIN.