This column originally appeared in Michigan Advance on July 17, 2020
Tax returns were due this week after being postponed four months. But while we all have to pay the “taxman,” I want to talk about some taxpayers that many people don’t know about.
Undocumented residents make significant tax contributions (including to our country’s entitlement funds like Social Security and Medicare), and many of them use an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) to do so. ITIN filers are an important segment of our population that are often left out when it comes to tax policy. According to data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), there are nearly 69,000 ITIN filers in Michigan, including 33,000 adults and 35,000 kids.
While ITIN filers make economic contributions in the form of income taxes, their overall “spending power,” which is the money someone has to spend after federal and state and local taxes (SALT) are taken out, is even greater.
The Michigan League for Public Policy released estimates on immigrant spending power in Michigan as part of an in our state and county immigration fact sheets. After federal taxes and SALT are paid, those who were not born in the U.S., regardless of immigration status, have an estimated $18 billion in spending power in Michigan. Approximately 10% of this spending power in the state, at $1.8 billion, is exclusively held by undocumented immigrants.
One way to increase the amount of spending power that tax filers have is through refundable tax credits. Tax credits reduce the amount of taxes owed by those who are filing and, if refundable, provide a boost to help taxpayers pay for daily necessities and put money back into local economies. Yet few tax credits are available to undocumented families who have filed their taxes.
Despite undocumented residents contributing to our tax base, ITIN filers are only eligible for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (the former’s refundable portion), plus the qualifying child must have a Social Security Number (SSN). In Michigan, nearly 90% of children in immigrant families are citizens. Plus, more are either citizens or lawful permanent residents (“green card” holders), meaning that many of these “mixed-status” families can claim the CTC because their children have an SSN.
But currently, that’s all they can claim. Michigan should allow ITIN filers the ability to claim additional tax credits, particularly our state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Currently, families with one adult who is an ITIN filer or a dependent who is an ITIN filer are unable to receive either the federal EITC or state EITC.
The EITC is a proven-effective way to help families pay for necessities and raise families above the poverty line. Because Michigan supplements the federal EITC with its own state credit, Michiganders who claim the EITC see an additional boost of 6 percent of their federal credit (though we at the League recommend that it be restored to 20%).
ITEP has estimated that expanding our state’s EITC to ITIN filers would be a windfall for local economies. Approximately 12,440 tax returns in Michigan (out of 17,000 that are eligible) would be expected to participate and receive a state EITC. Yet a “return” is a unit that measures single filers as well as joint filers and does not include the number of dependents on that return.
That means there would actually be many more than 12,440 adults and children who would benefit from an expansion of the state EITC to ITIN filers. As for Michigan’s economy, ITEP estimates that expanding the EITC to ITIN filers would put nearly $2 million back into it. That comes out to be $158 per tax filer, which is even more than the average impact on Michiganders who file their taxes with an SSN.
About one-fifth of children in Michigan, regardless of where their parents were born, live below the poverty threshold. Expanding EITC access to ITIN filers is a step our state can take to make a dent in that number, specifically among families with undocumented residents. The benefits are clear: provide families a needed boost, increase their spending power, improve child health and spur the local economy along the way.
It’s time to expand the EITC to ITIN filers and allow undocumented taxpayers to get the same credit as other taxpaying Michiganders — literally.
Betsy Zobl-Tar 
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
