A debate over whether to expand an anti-poverty tax measure to immigrants is breaking down along party lines in the Maryland General Assembly, with Republicans vehemently opposing the move. The bill cleared an initial vote in the Senate Wednesday, with just one Democrat voting with the Republicans.
At the heart of the fight is the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or ITIN. Immigrants, both with and without legal residency in the United States, use the numbers to file their annual tax returns because they cannot get the Social Security numbers issued to U.S. citizens.
ITIN users do not qualify for federal tax credits, including the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.
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