Immigrant Youth Reveals Tax Contributions, Internet Trolls Reacts Accordingly

Juan Escalante
OurHome.us
Published in
2 min readMar 29, 2017

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Belen Sisa, a Dreamer from Arizona, discloses her tax filings for 2016.

Belén Sisa, a junior at Arizona State University, logged on to Facebook this past weekend with a single goal: to prove to her friends, and subsequently the Internet, that undocumented immigrants do pay taxes.

With a couple of keystrokes and a photo of her holding tax forms, Sisa composed a Facebook post in which she revealed her undocumented status, disclosed her tax contribution, and declared how even though she pays her taxes she is unable to receive any government benefits. The post has since gathered national attention.

As it turns out, the 23-year-old Arizona resident is a beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, which allows her to work, drive, and be shielded from deportation. However, despite her protected status, Sisa wanted to make a statement about one of the biggest misconceptions about immigrants in the United States.

As you would expect, the Internet was quick to attack Sisa. After being shared and “Liked” thousands of posts, Belén began receiving dozens of messages about her appearance and immigration status. In a video, Belén explained her reasoning for posting the photo and what types of reactions she has encountered since:

The contributors of OurHome.us would like to thank Belén for her bravery and leadership on this issue! We stand behind you.

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Undocumented Immigrant with DACA. Michelle Malkin called me a “Disgustingly Entitled Illegal”. 2X Florida Grad. Digital Strategist. Pineapple Belongs On Pizza.