Student in US illegally gets backlash for posting tax return

Author: Associated Press
Published:

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona college student who is living in the country illegally is receiving backlash after posting a picture of her tax return on Facebook.

Belen Sisa, 23, is shielded from possible deportation by former President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, The Arizona Republic reports. The Arizona State University student came to the U.S. from Argentina as a 6-year-old with her parents and the family overstayed their visas.

Sisa said in her post that she filed state and federal taxes and paid $300 to Arizona. She says she was hoping to “make a statement and educate people.”

“I decided to post it basically to bust the myth that immigrants don’t contribute and they don’t pay taxes to this country,” Sisa told the newspaper.

She received a slew of negative comments, including some saying they were reporting her to federal officials.

She posted screenshots of the messages she received, including:

  • “You’re disgusting and I hope that you and your family will be sent back to the lesser country that your ancestors built.”
  • “Whose social are you using? Your face/clothes/car seems to be contrary to u needing assistance girl.”
  • “If you are a foreign invader you will be investigated and picked up I will see to it myself. Who am I you may ask? I’m your biggest nightmare … I am a governor hopeful and putting your deportation on my resume is going to look great on my accolades.”

Sisa served as a page at the Democratic National Convention last year.

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