""Let’s keep America free of freeloaders."" Yea a guy who works hard and saves $59,000 (something most whites who grew up here can't do) and wants to go back home is a "freeloader"? Racists like you are destroying this country -- the only reason they come here ILLEGALLY is because the immigration laws are racist and don't get many Latin Americans in, thats why they come in illegally. This guy works hard but the laws are stacked against him while millions of lazy unionized auto workers get $50 an hour to sit home and get fat. Does this sound like a system thats going to sustain a World Power? Nope. America is going down hill because the laws punish hard work and reward idiot fat red necks who do monkey work and demand a "fair" wage. This guy saves $59,000 working for way below minimum wage and you red neck morons can't even afford to pay your electric bills. By the way I'm not Latin-American, I'm Turkish and if what happened to this guy happened to me, I swear I would dedicate the rest of my life to doing as much damage to America as I possible could.

This is wrong! Yes he was not legal. But he worked at a legal job (not many American's will take - they'd rather have welfare) and he saved his money and he was leaving the US. The US stole his money. He paid taxes on all of those earnings and did not claim them back on tax returns.... free money for the government! Morally this is wrong. The immigrant issue needs to be addressed.... but this is wrong! Give him his money!!!!

Horse Hockey. We, Americans, are doing what? Please. Sit down. Until you stop companies from hiring these guys they will continue to come. We don't need any fences. If employers stopped hiring economic refugees they wouldn't come here, period. But Ms. Diane and her, take back america clan, are all talk and no action. close down 15 - 20 businesses and fine some 10% of their last year's earnings. Then I will say that you are doing something. Until then sit down.

Tough pinto beans! He should've come here LEGALLY and learned to speak ENGLISH! What part of that do these people not get? We American patriots are fighting mad and are taking our country back NOW!

I think it's ridiculous those of you that don't have any compassion for this man just because he's illegal. Movie stars and entertainers commit crimes all the time and don't get so much as a smack on the butt. Don't tell me that the law is the law, because clearly if you're the right person the U.S. government will go easy on you.

He is an illegal immigrant people. Little Pedro should have just stayed in his grass hut to begin with, then there would not be this need for a debate. Americans could find another topic more pressing then something that could have been prevented. The dishwasher even made a comment about not paying taxes. Now lets think about what would happen to a true American if he did not pay his taxes. going to trial? fines? jail? But for an illegal immigrant we do next to nothing. When are Americans going to become proud.

I am truly sorry this guy had to learn the hard way, but tough. No, I do not really feel sorry for him. He deserved to get what he got. This guy showed no intent to stay and make a life here in the United States; no intent to pay taxes, which ironically would have been zilch;no intent to respect our country and follow the law; no intent of learning English. This man only wanted to come take his money and leave. I say no; he can not leave, be arrested, and charged with entering the country illegally and tax evasion. Furthermore the scumbag employer who hired him,obviously under the table, should be imprisoned for hiring the guy and stripped of his business license.

I think some cases should be dealt with using compassion on a case by case basis. I'm sorry to see this happen to this poor guy. I understand why some folks are upset...but that doesn't make it right that they took his money.

I'm going to assume that 95% of American citizens are criminals because I'm going to assume that 95% of us drive over the speed limit, run the red light, and/or drive under the influence. We criminals endanger lives every single day with our road rage and driving habits, while Pedro apparently just worked hard. If it's wrong for him to avoid paying taxes, then it's doubly wrong for us to drive recklessly while hoping a cop isn't around to 'tax' our behavior. I'm just saying the 'throw them all out' crowd are being hypocrites.

O please have u ever heard of western union or paypal. I am just surprised he made it across the street with that much cash. I hardly ever carry more than twenty bucks on me. I am just a realist. DUDE THAT WAS JUST STUPID

This guy got JACKED! Give him his money, hell, give him permanent residency! They even offered this guy 10k of his money and the 9k in donations to leave and NOT TALK PUBLICLY! Hmmm, I wonder what they were going to do with this guy's money? This is just WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! So what, he was an illegal, he was just working here without the government's knowledge! That doesn't mean he should lose his money! I hope this guy sues and gets MILLIONS.

sdl, Sorry you think I'm angry, I was just pointing out the flaws in your numbers. You still have some pretty obvious flaws. 1.) you said "It also clearly stated that he made $5.50/hour AFTER earning a raise of .25, and I used $5.50 from the beginning, so if anything I OVERESTIMATED his earnings!" However the article ACTUALLY SAYS "Zapeta earned $5.50 an hour at most of the places where he washed dishes. When he learned to do more, he got a 25-cent raise." As I read that is says he earned $5.50 an hour, then when he learned to do more, he got a 25 cent raise. That is $5.75. So you are a little off there, plus we both used the lower %5.50 anyway. 2.) You stated that since he had pay stubs "that means he was paid IN THE SYSTEM, with all the required deductions". Wrong again, my daughter is paid hourly, and at each job she works she works 32 hours a week or less. There is NO TAX deducted at all from her pay! I guess it must have to do with being less than full time employee. She works 2 jobs like that. If Pedro worked 2 or more jobs 32 hours each, then he could work the 65-70 hours a week without a single penny being deducted for any tax. As a matter of fact in the article says "Zapeta admits he never paid taxes.". Since he said he never paid taxes, that would mean to me, he did not have taxes deducted on his pay stub. 3.) You also never addressed the possibility that he worked more than 40 hours a week. All the stories on the news where I live when they profile illegals, they say the hold 2 or 3 jobs at once and usually work at least 70-80 hours a week. 70 hours a week at $5.50 for 52 weeks is $20,000. $20K times 11 years is $220,000. Even at your lower tax rate of 10% that is $22,000 without counting the social security. I believe that is 6-7% more. So that takes it up higher. Then interest and penalties is more. The poor guy worked his tail off for 11 years with a goal, but if he is in the country illegally, he knew he was breaking one law. If he was here, he knew everyone else was paying taxes, so since he admitted he never paid taxes, he knew he was breaking another law. You would not want to pay taxes and have me not pay them, so you should also think everyone should pay them. In this country when you commit a crime you usually have on smaller crimes a choice of jail time or a fine or both. So his crimes of illegally in the country and not paying taxes could have monetary fines too. If he had $30,000 of back taxes, interest, and fines, then that would leave him $29,000. I'm sure the government would think higher. The way Pedro responded is that even if they would have offered him 1 dime less than $59000 he would want the last dime. If he showed back up in his own country and they charged him 50% of the $59,000 he came in with in taxes that would be another story, eh? Anyway, I can sympathize with him, but your analysis is off, and looking at this through rose colored glasses is what got us in the bind we are in with 12-20 million illegals. There were recently two pedestrians killed in my area by hit and run drivers that were uninsured illegal immigrants with no license. Pedro should get his money after taxes and penalties, since neither of us have seen his pay stubs, we don't know what that is. If he wants to stay in the country, then apply legally. The illegals are keeping out people who legally wish to come here. The government has lowered the allowed legal numbers because of all the illegals here that are straining the system. We pay extra in our taxes and insurance to support them. Sorry for the long winded response. I am not angry, I just wanted to point out that there were errors in your statement. You wanted to give him tax dollars back, while he admits to never having paid taxes (except I'm sure sales tax). End of discussion

SDL - Nice thoughtful comment. Victor - that comment really wasn't civil. Let's discuss and we can disagree but we should be civil. Thanks for your comments.

There are a ton of Americans who believe we ought to just send them all back. Immigrants go home. BUT, I must point out if we could pass such a law how many of the 12 million do you think would go back willingly? A million? 100,000 or less. Therefore, we would need to hunt them down, hold them somewhere and then transport them back to their country of origin assuming that country would want them back. Cost estimates average around $100 Billion.

So how did the “native” americans get here? By “raping the [buffalo] from their land?” I suppose they should pay back taxes God, then Wow,aren't you an idiot.I take you so much more seriously now.

Bob: Mayhap reading comprehension and retention might be an good investment for you? The article CLEARLY stated that he proved it was all legally earned by PRODUCING PAY STUBS. It also clearly stated that he made $5.50/hour AFTER earning a raise of .25, and I used $5.50 from the beginning, so if anything I OVERESTIMATED his earnings! Now, that means he was paid IN THE SYSTEM, with all the required deductions, and I spelled out what those would have been- including the bare bones minimums due. And for those of you thinking he could have gotten out of paying any Fed, he was trying to stay below the radar so he was unlikely to file a W-4 with massive dependents listed, right? Since anything high was automatically by the employer filed with the IRS until very recently, he would have been counciled against it if the he had know to and wanted to! It ALSO means that no employer is going to be willing to pay the dishwasher overtime rates when they just have a different employee work at minimum wage instead, so calculating THAT into your figures is a straw man argument. Next, you clearly did not do your historical legwork on tax rates, or you would know that *I* had. The calculations were based on the rates for each year on his income, not CURRENT rates extrapolated backwards. The you ignored the Standard Deduction which sharply reduces his income each year- because when the IRS challenges your return or claims you did not file one, you get to submit a return with all the normal possible deductions for the year in question. Then you STILL want to act like some example of your fathers is a logical point to start from in deciding he must owe a large sum... Sorry, no. Without providing personal income level, deductions allowed, and year in question, there is simply nowhere NEAR enough data to even GUESS if you are wildly off or reasonably close. I calculated the MAXIMUM penalties they could assess, and interest was on a VERY small amount for each year and cummulatively added up to reasonably less than what $4000 in 3 years equals. So, MY figures stand. YOU are just ranting angrily.

We need to kick out all illegals, why should he be rewarded for breaking to law. If i break the law i go to jail. I'm very disapointed in our government not enforcing our laws, seems like only Americans have to obey them! We need to vote out every politician who wants to give them amnesty.I have no problem with legal immigration people all over the world want to come here.These people pay their money and wait for there chance but this person thinks he's above our laws.he is a criminal lets treat him like one, enforce the law!

It seems to me that this guy actually wants to go back to his own country. We should tax his earnings at whatever rate is fair. 15% for someone of his income level and let the guy go wherever he wants. If you want him to pay some fine for being here illegally, I would suggest that his employer be fine 20x whatever you fine him. Now, you can't say that's not fair.

Pedro wasn't peddling drugs, robbing americans or ask government to pay for his expenses. His hard earned money should be returned on compassion grounds to help him return & live a honest live in his native. Many of us have paid enough tax to the US govt. that anyway is being used in killing over 600,000 people in Iraq. If Pedro's stay in US is illegal what do you call the stay of US army in Iraq's soil for 4 years ? Who do you prosecute ?

You have taken the poor man's money , now what? Taking 9/11 and drug trafficking wrath on the wrong guy. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Callie, if you are poor you should probably not be spending your time on the internet. Go out and work.

GET OUT ILLEGALS! Why should anyone feel sorry for someone who comes into this country illegally and doesn't pay taxes--then attempts to leave and short the government. Hell, all American's pay taxes and a gret deal of my hard earned money goes to taking care of illegals. There's no free ride for my and I'm poor. Can I declared myself to be illegal and receive the perks of not having to pay taxes and get away with it! ALL-EVERYONE-ILLEGALS should get out of this country. Stop the propaganda campaign!

Wow! sdl above really did some bad math! sdl missed the fact that a lot of illegals take their payments in cash and since he admitted that he paid NO taxes you have to assume he paid no social security and did take his pay in cash. The businesses that paid him in cash knowing he was illegal are another issue. Most illegals will work as much as 65-70 hours a week and the story said he made $5.50 an hour and was raised up to $5.75 an hour. 70 hours a week at $5.50 x 52 weeks a year is about $20,000 a year, which is about 15% tax rate not to forget that if he took his payments in cash, the SS system didn't get the employer portion with is about another 7%. $220,000 of income over 11 years, 15% is $33,000. I haven't figured in his raises or the extra 7% so my numbers may be low. Interest at 7% means your principal will double every 10 years or $66,000 before any penalties. My father who has Alzheimer’s forgot to put one of his source of earnings one year on a return. He owed an extra $4000, but after the error was caught 1 year later, he had to pay $7000 after penalties, original amount owed and interest. So he may actually owe more that the $59,000 after interest and penalties. If Americans have to pay the taxes for the roads, schools, government pork belly projects, free clinic health care and then the extra cost we pay for uninsured motorists that at times are the illegal immigrants, they need to pay taxes too. I'm not for taking ALL his $59,000 away, but a compromise amount does make sense. He should have to pay taxes, interest on unpaid taxes, and penalties for not paying taxes just as a legal citizen would. Just because his story is on CNN doesn't mean he didn't break the law or is allowed "tax free status" and a get out of jail free card.

So how did the "native" americans get here? By "raping the [buffalo] from their land?" I suppose they should pay back taxes God, then.

Rich, you are a moron. Do you not realize that the Europeans that came here 400 years ago were the immigrants that couldn't speak the native language? This is America, a country that was built on the labor of immigrants. While it's true that he should have paid taxes, don't be the idiot that says all immigrants are not welcome. It makes your argument null and pointless.

Funny how all the racist xenophobes can post comments while wearing their Klan bedsheets.If most of the people whining weren't such lazy,bloodsucking leeches then I'd take them seriously.I agree deport him,but at least let him take back his earnings!If you don't,then please at least return all the money he payed towards Social Security even though he would never get any of it back! As for deporting illegal immigrants I agree!I'll help all of you pack since after all the 'legal immigrants' are just criminals who raped the Native Americans from their land in the first place.

I cannot believe all of the ignorant things that are being said about the plight of this poor man in pursuit of his dreams. Illegal or not, he provided a service - no less a service that most Americans would bitch about if they had to do - and was compensated for it. He did not steal it, he earned it. He did not pay taxes. So take the appropriate taxes, give him his money and let him leave. Whether you like it or not, illegal immigrants are willing to do the things Americans refuse to do in order to make their dreams come true. We should not be judging a hard working man.

from a previous blogger.... 'He should have paid taxes, yes, so take that cut and send him home with the rest' If someone came to burgle your house whilst you slept and the police caught jumping out the window, would you ask him to return the money and walk free, or would you like to see him jailed for the rest of his life?

This man deserves nothing. The man does not speak any english and yet he has lived in this country for 11 years. Tell me why he deserves anything at all. Complete disrespect for a country that almost gave you the chance to make so much money. Luckily the system punished him as he should have been. And to think, he could have gotten away with $19,000, but no, he wanted it all even though he ignored the laws of this country and failed to naturalize at any point. He honestly thinks that he did not do anything wrong. That is insanity to me. Try and tell me he didn't break the law. He did and he is suffering for it. And shame on the fools who have donated money to his cause and support him! Yes, please encourage this kind of take and run behavior. Yes, he may have not even made enough to pay taxes but did even think for a second to find that out? To file his taxes? Find out what is needed to do it right? Of course not. So many illegal immigrants have no desire to become legal or naturlize and that is the true crime.

You say "We all came here illegally." Me and mine certainly did not!! We came and "signed in" @ Ellis Island like we were suppossed to do.

Isn't every dime Mr. Zapeta earned in the USA the "fruit of a poison tree" and consequently subject to seizure ? Let's say Al mugs Ben on the street in front of a casino and gets $100. Al takes that $100 into the casino and plays the slots with it. Al hits the cumulative slots for $1,000,000. Who is entitled to that million ? Should Al get to keep any of it ? Isn't this essentially what Mr. Zapeta did ? He got into the USA illegally. He then used his "illegal" presence here to accumulate cash. In Mr. Zapeta's case, even the way he accumulated the cash was illegel -- working off the books, not paying taxes, etc. The fines for what he did should amount to quite a bit more than the $59,000. It they don't maybe we need to beef up our laws a bit. He's lucky that we don't want to spend the money to house him in one of our prisons for many years.

Hey Erika, go back to school honey and learn some history. We did not come here 'illegaly'. This was not a country back then with any laws. Furthermore, 'this man' is not one of us...he came here ILLEGALY...thumbed his nose at all our laws, refused to learn the language, and probably recieved some free health care. If we let people circumvent the laws of this country then what other laws will start to be ingnored? We will fast become a lawless society where no one will have any freedom.

This is an outrage! We all came here illegally. We crossed an entire ocean to find freedom. We found it and killed the Native American's. This man is just one of us. He too wants to survive and live a better life only he hasn't killed anyone, he's earned that money.

Let's see here: Assume he worked full time every week for 11 years at rate spec'd. SS paid into, benefits YOU not him. Medicare- ditto. Paid out and refundable as non-citizen when return filed: -$9375. Florida, no income tax. IRS Withholding: Impossible to avoid at least some portion taken out of your check, even when earning FAR less than he did annually, so let's figure they already got some minimum percentage: Avg $10.37/week, or $540./year = -$5940. paid Effective tax rate to 2000 was 10% 2001-2005 split roughly 7K income 10% balance over 15%. Standard Deduction was between 1/3 and 1/2 of his annual income during same periods, and we'll assume no qualifying for anything else. This means an annual shortfall ranging from $300 in the early years, to $150 in 2005. Let's say: $2400.00 outstanding taxes due $2400.00 max penalties on same $1575.00 10% annual interest due $6375.00 Less the refund for SS/etc due -$9375.00 IRS actually OWES him another $3000.00!!!! But here's what I bet the IRS is TRYING to do: Absolute MAXIMUM in taxes that COULD be owed for all years if working full time every week of his life at payrate stated with no credit for SS/etc and not applying Standard Deduction: $19170. Maximum Penalties: $19170. Avg interest @10%: $11700. Oddly close to his cash amount, less what they tried to offer him to settle, yes? The law is the Law all right, and I expect the IRS to follow THEIR OWN LAWS- Have the lawyers file the prior year returns for him, process them all, calculate the refund due, cut the check, and give that and ALL the cash (plus 2 years interest on the cash per standard policy now) taken back to him promptly.

Regardless what anyone thinks about whether Pedro deserved to keep his money because he earned it or deserved to have it taken away for illegally entering the country, the government has spent two years fighting legal battles with him. How much has that cost? I'd be willing to bet it's more than $59,000. So which is better, spending a small fortune on legal battles with him, or letting him take his $59,000 (minus any taxes and fair penalties) when he leaves. The latter likely would have cost us less, he'd already be out of the country, and INS could be concentrating on other things -- like keeping more illegals from entering.

Yes, he broke the law which he probably didn't understand. I am a US citizen (born and bread) and at times I don't understand it either. The US Government has no right to take all of his money. The only right they have is to take what he owes and penalties (whatever that happens to be which I doubt is anywhere near 59,000 considering the very low tax bracket he would fall into). As for those who say English should be our official language, the human brain can do amazing things when it stretches it muscle and attempts to speak two languages. I say the more languages spoke the better. A lack of education in his country is what brought Pedro here. Soon, our education system will be on par with the one found in Guatemala. The US is turning into a third-world country right before our eyes because the so-called US Government is dumbing down its populous so they will continue to fall for phony campaign rhetoric, piss-poor presidential candidates and the same senate candidates year after year. If our laws were just, Pedro should be on last list of persons the US Government should be fining. They need to start fining the members of our congress. They are the biggest thieves this world has ever seen.

IF poor Pedro were a drug courier attempting to smuggle $59,000.00 out of the country would you feel sorry for him? Probably not..Why? Because he's a criminal. Guess what....he's still a criminal and in violation of OUR laws... Good riddance. I hope he maintains his "bad feelings" about his experience in the United States and relates them to all his friends in Guatemala when he gets home. Have a nice day!

The guy was here to make a bit of money, so that he could have a better life in his HOME country. Not come here and illegally live off our social services, but come here, work, and then go home. He should have paid taxes, yes, so take that cut and send him home with the rest. All his attorneys need to do is setup a paypal account for him, linked to an off-shore account, and let the publicity of this story get out. He’ll have more donations, way more than he earned, from across the Internet than he could imagine. How many people would send him $1 via paypal if they read this?

I don't feel sorry for the guy. Contrary to what has been said on the above comments, "we didn't let him into the country". He sneaked into the country. Lived an "invisible" life, never learned English or the customs of the land, betc you all he doesn't know anything about the history of this great country AND don't forget that for him o have saved $59K over the 11 years, he had to have earned at least two and half times that amount. He is lucky the Government doesn't tax him possible overall income. That could happen and would for sure get the bleeding heart liberals with their panties in a bunch. Let's keep America free of freeloaders.

SOB is lucky to be getting out of the country alive. We need more Border Patrol agents like Compean and Ramos.

Key word-illegal.

Being an immigrant myself in the UK I cannot believe that people still defend this guy. The fact that people often ignore when considering this cases, is that HE DID SOMETHING ILLEGAL, so he must pay for it. If UNICEF sold drugs to fund its causes, it wouldn't be right, even that they do help poor children around the world. Unfortunatelly, they are playing the inocent 'Ooops I did it again' face to escape, surely in 11 years he realised what tax was all about, and that he somehow he was doing something illegal, otherwise please put him in an institute. This attitude and wanting to bend the rules is that makes life for legal, 'with-nothing-to-hide' immigrants so hard when they arrive in their host country. If countries were asured that immigration comes in, works, pays taxes, and behaves well. All borders would be open to everyone. Which government doesn't want more good workers/taxes.... if they stay: good they earned their pension and well being, if they leave... even better: 'thank you so much for all the taxes you've paid' Please send him back home to learn some manners and to respect the peole from whom he wanted to still taxes, services, etc.

They didn't take "his" money. He was fined $59,000 for being in the country illegally, not paying taxes and not knowing the laws of this country. Poor Pedro did it to himself.

This is very simple---He didn't owe any taxes, first of all you can't avoid sales tax whether legal or not so that was paid, Toll tax you can't avoid-- He's never is going to use Social Security so that's no indebted. And he was working so wellfare isn't a issue...so that leaves only income right? Yep as matter a fact because of his low income status his income would have been so low he wouldn't owe a dime and would have recieved credits actually-- he was robbed. America is really falling apart lead by the Republican's greedy mind set--we are starting to be just another great nation like Rome or Greece caving in on our own greed and inconsiderations. There should be a compassion that fills our hearts to take a poor mans money because the very first people that landed in this country were illegal immigrants. they didn't ask for permission to the Native Americans that dwelled here for centuries--should they take our money and kick us out?---What has happen to us? Oh yeah my bad I know the answer modern day Republicans. What goes around comes around with much more momentum!!!

I believe he should get all his money back!! Go ahead and take the taxes he owes, if any, and let him go home. Anybody who can save all of that money making only a little over five dollars an hour has made many sacrifices over the years. GIVE HIM HIS MONEY!!

The law is the law. While it is a bit disheartening that he will essentially loose 11 years of his life's work, we have rules. You don't get to pick and choose which rules you like and and will abide by. People come to this country to benefit from the structure we have developed. Our industry thrives partly because of the laws that support it. Our country is safe (comparatively) because those who don't abide by our rules are punished. "I no longer feel good about this country." - Good, then leave. Long story short. If you break the rules to get here, and don't play by the rules while you live here, don't cry when it catches up with you.

He's here 11 years and still can't speak english. That is a problem. Enough of the spanish tv newspaper and radio. Make english our official language now!

Send him back now. Send a message to illegals you're not welcome here.

Then the US goverment wonders why so many people hates us all over the world and in the US as well. This is totally Fu cked up! Poor man worked 11 years for his money and now the almighty US goverment has to pay for a war in Iraq and need money.

He earned that money, so at least part of it belongs to him. That being said he must be expected to follow the laws of our country if he is to work here, and must pay the penalty. Though I doubt taking the majority of his money is the answer. Take what he owes if anything, and penalize him for the laws that he's broken, its that simple.