Newsweek Quotes Professor Sarkar on Immigrants and Social Security

Professor Shayak Sarkar spoke to Newsweek for a June 22 story asking whether increasing the number of foreign-born workers contributing to the U.S. tax system could help save Social Security from an uncertain future.

Sarkar told Newsweek that including more immigrants into the tax system will help provide additional funds. 

“There are immigrants who are lawfully in the United States who are nonetheless barred from contributing to Social Security,” Sarkar said. “While H-B and H-2B — both generally non-agricultural workers — generally pay into Social Security, H-2A — agricultural — workers do not. That asymmetry is odd but can be a boon for employers of noncitizen farmworkers who can pay less for labor by not having to pay into Social Security. Rectifying this asymmetry could help Social Security and workers."

Shayak Sarkar's scholarship addresses the structure and legal regulation of inequality. His substantive interests lie in financial regulation, employment law, immigration, and taxation.