MCT Campus

With graduation looming on the horizon for many San Diego State students, the prospect of getting a job is in the back of many people’s minds. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you know that the job market isn’t in favor of recent graduates.

In fact, despite reports that the economy is strengthening, San Diego County’s unemployment rate reached 11 percent last month while the state’s unemployment rate hit a high of 12.6 percent. Given these statistics, it would not be surprising if many graduates consider leaving San Diego, or even California, to find work.

This may be an easier prospect to consider for the more than 1,600 SDSU students who studied abroad last year, who might consider leaving the country for work after graduating. In some cases, this might be an easier route, especially when looking into jobs such as teaching English abroad, of which there are many positions throughout the world.

However, in other cases, the U.S. government is making it difficult for these expatriates to continue to work long-term outside of the U.S.

The U.S. is the only industrialized country that taxes its citizens on income earned abroad, even when they are taxed in their country of current residence, according to The New York Times. Also, new banking regulations contained in the Patriot Act make it difficult for expatriates to continue use of U.S. banks, as they have addresses outside of the U.S. Both of these factors are contributing to a record numbers of expatriates renouncing U.S. citizenship. There were 235 renunciations in 2008 and 743 last year.

Increased bank regulations are understandably aimed at curbing tax evasion and preventing the funding of terrorist groups. However, the government failed to think through the legislation and what harm it could do to the 5.2 million Americans estimated to be living abroad. When a security measure inadvertently hinders the ability of so many people to access their own money within their country of citizenship, sometimes forcing them to consider renunciation, something should be done immediately to reform it. Instead, the Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, responded to at least one specific complaint saying, “nothing in U.S. financial law and regulation should make it impossible for Americans living abroad to access financial services here in the United States.” But treasury officials have also stated that banks are free to ignore this advice.

What is even more abhorrent about the government’s handling of expatriates working abroad is double taxation. Many expatriates are being driven to renounce their citizenship after weighing their options and finding that neither themselves nor their children, who would have to face the same regulations, benefit enough from U.S. services to justify paying taxes in both the U.S. and their country of residence. This is taxation without representation and this hurts American businesses and U.S. citizens.

The U.S. government cannot continue to act selfishly without the consideration of its citizens living abroad. The current regulations and laws in place act as a tightening grip on the finances of those honestly working abroad. Americans should not be forced to renounce their citizenship in order to continue their lifestyle, especially when they are not doing anything to deserve the constraints placed on them. It is understandable why the government is attempting to help itself and protect its citizens through this regulation. However, when it simultaneously hurts other Americans, regardless of their country of residence, these laws and restrictions should be re-evaluated.

If the government neglects to address this problem head-on, the repercussions could have a snowball effect as it becomes more difficult for Americans to work and live abroad, more Americans may renounce their citizenship and American companies will have a harder time competing with foreign companies.

With the U.S. job market suffering, the government should understand that many recent graduates may consider building a career abroad, and should reconstruct its current policies to capitalize on the opportunity, rather than making it harder for Americans to work and live abroad. Recent graduates may depend on reform to see a brighter future than what the U.S. is currently able to provide.

8212;Reneé Villaseñor is a journalism senior.

8212;This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec. Send e-mail to opinion@thedailyaztec.com. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Include your full name, major and year in school.