New Research Shows Hispanic Households in the Texas Rio Grande Valley Paid $4.3 Billion in Taxes and Held nearly $15 Billion in Spending Power in 2019

MCALLEN, TX – New research on the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission Metro Area and the Rio Grande Valley released Monday by Texans for Economic Growth, a statewide 125+ member business coalition powered by the American Immigration Council, underscores the crucial role Hispanic Texans play in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area economy, and across the entire Rio Grande Valley region. 

The two new factsheets were prepared in partnership with the RGV Hispanic Chamber as a follow-up to a joint event from late 2021 on the importance of Hispanic Texans to the state’s economy. 

“The Hispanics in the Rio Grande Valley, whether native born or immigrants, contribute to several important industries that wouldn't be able to survive without them,” said Cynthia M. Sakulenzki, President and CEO of the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The hospitality, agriculture, medical, food industry and others are prime examples. They contribute not only taxes to the area, but they also are very active in the schools that their children attend as well as their churches and other community events.  They have contributed greatly to the economy as some have opened up their own businesses, created jobs and most are expected to expand to other locations.  The whole United States would be in deep despair without the help of the Hispanic community.” 

“Texas is home to 11.5 million Hispanic Americans, 1.3 million of whom call the Rio Grande Valley home. Texas simply isn’t ‘Texas’ without their crucial contributions,” said Chelsie Kramer, Texas State Organizer for the American Immigration Council. “With June being Immigrant Heritage Month, it is also important to highlight that foreign-born Hispanic residents of the Rio Grande Valley are contributing to the region and state in myriad ways, including paying over $1.3 billion in taxes annually which funds services and infrastructure projects that benefit all.” 

Key findings: 

• Hispanic Texans in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro are contributing billions in taxes and consumer spending. In 2019, Hispanic households earned $12.2 billion in income, with $1.7 billion going to federal taxes and $1.1 billion going to state and local taxes, leaving them with $9.4 billion in spending power that can be reinvested in local communities. Robust consumer spending by Hispanic households supports small businesses and keeps local economic corridors vibrant. 
• Hispanic Texans in the Rio Grande Valley are helping drive population growth in the state. Between 2010 and 2019, the Hispanic population grew by 10.6%. In 2010, 89.6% of the overall population in the Rio Grande Valley were Hispanic; that number grew to 91.5% in 2019.  
• Foreign-born Hispanic Texans in the Rio Grande Valley play a crucial role in meeting the region’s workforce needs. In 2019, 55% of the foreign-born Hispanic population were active in the labor force. 
• Hispanic Texans in the Rio Grande Valley hold substantial voting power. In 2019, there were 631,000 eligible Hispanic voters, including more than 96,000 naturalized citizens. Overall, the Hispanic population made up 87.7% of the electorate, including Hispanic naturalized citizens, who on their own made up 13.3%. 

### 

About Texans for Economic Growth 

Texans for Economic Growth is a coalition of more than 125 Texas business leaders and associations dedicated to recognizing and supporting the positive impact that immigrants have on the Texas economy as business owners, taxpayers, and consumers. With its launch on February 26, 2019, the coalition released the Texas Compact on Immigration, a set of principles signed by more than 145 Texas business leaders and groups to guide the immigration discussion at the state and federal level. Texans for Economic Growth supports common-sense federal immigration reforms, as well as statewide policies that recognize the valuable contributions immigrants make to the state. Learn more at txcompact.org. 

About the American Immigration Council 

The American Immigration Council works to strengthen America by shaping how America thinks about and acts towards immigrants and immigration and by working toward a more fair and just immigration system that opens its doors to those in need of protection and unleashes the energy and skills that immigrants bring. The Council brings together problem solvers and employs four coordinated approaches to advance change—litigation, research, legislative and administrative advocacy, and communications. In January 2022, the Council and New American Economy merged to combine a broad suite of advocacy tools to better expand and protect the rights of immigrants, more fully ensure immigrants’ ability to succeed economically, and help make the communities they settle in more welcoming. Follow the latest Council news and information on ImmigrationImpact.com and Twitter @immcouncil.  

About RGV Hispanic Chamber 

The mission of the RGV Hispanic Chamber is to promote economic development & assist businesses to access the Hispanic market through networking, promoting education and nurturing leadership. Our in-house satellite offices of SBA, UTPA-SBDC, and Acción Texas provide financial assistance and guidance. Our purpose is to serve the ever-growing small business community all along the South Texas border.