Many immigrants in the U.S. illegally are still choosing to pay federal income taxes in the hopes of documenting how long they’ve been here, a piece of information that well could play into the possibility of legal status and citizenship.  The Los Angeles Times covers the story and shows that tens of thousands of people are taking part in this activity.

They may be here illegally, but tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants are expected to abide by Uncle Sam’s rules by filing tax returns — with the hope of someday becoming U.S. citizens.

Though there is no way of knowing how many people are filing taxes in response to the national debate on immigration, Southern California tax preparers are seeing a steady stream of clients eager to be on record as taxpayers.

[…]

Some illegal immigrants have long paid taxes through special identification numbers issued by the Internal Revenue Service for people who are not eligible for Social Security numbers — whether out of a sense of duty or hope for eventual citizenship.

Oh, but let’s kick them out of the country, make them felons, threaten their well-being and safety, and dispose of otherwise law-abiding, tax-paying, responsible, honest residents who want to support the country that provides them promise and hope.