Immigrants Add a Cost Component to American Welfare Growth

Immigrants are an additional burden on welfare costs. A 2015 US Census Bureau Survey of Income and Program Participation found that welfare participation, as of 2012, was at 51% for legal and illegal immigrants -- well above the 30% for native-born Americans. A Center for Immigration Studies analysis of the Census Bureau survey shows that Washington has done little to curb access to Medicaid, cash, food, and housing programs. Steven Camarota, CIS director of research and report author, said : "If immigration is supposed to benefit the country, then immigrant welfare use should be much lower than native use. However, two decades after welfare reform tried to curtail immigrant welfare use, immigrant households are using most programs at higher rates than natives. The low-skill level of many immigrants means that although most work, many also access welfare programs. If we continue to allow large numbers of less-educated immigrants to settle in the country, then immigrant welfare use will remain high." Welfare programs are meant to help poor Americans, but there are several ways that immigrants -- legal and illegal -- can access welfare, according to the report : "Limits only apply to some programs; most legal immigrants have been in the country long enough to qualify for welfare; the restrictions often do not apply to children; states often provide welfare to new immigrants on their own; naturalizing makes immigrants eligible for all programs; and, most important, im­migrants (including illegal immigrants) can receive benefits on behalf of their US-born children [sometimes anchor babies], who are awarded US citizenship at birth." ~~~~~ The CIS report found that most of the households surveyed are headed by a legal immigrant and that Medicaid is the top program used by immigrants. But, CIS also found "if that program [Medicaid] is excluded, it is still the case that 44% of immigrant households use one or more welfare programs compared to 26% of native households — a 19% difference." CIS listed these key findings : (1). Welfare use is high for both new arrivals and long-time residents -- 48% of households headed by immigrants who have been in the country for more than two decades access welfare. (2). No single program explains immigrants' higher overall welfare use. For example, not counting subsidized school lunch, welfare use is still 46% for immigrants and 28% for natives. (3). Immigrant households have much higher use of food programs (40% vs. 22% for natives) and Medicaid (42% vs. 23%). Immigrant use of cash programs is somewhat higher than natives (12% vs. 10%), and immigrant use of housing programs is similar to natives. (4). Welfare use varies among immigrant groups. Households with the highest overall welfare use are headed by immigrants from Central America and Mexico (73%), the Caribbean (51%), and Africa (48%). Those from East Asia (32%), Europe (26%), and South Asia (17%) have the lowest welfare use. ~~~~~ The CIS report concluded : “Bottom line, what this tells us is either we select immigrants who are unlikely to access welfare or we accept the costs. Trying to keep immigrants off welfare once they’re here is like locking the barn door once the horse is out " ~~~~~ Dear readers, this finding echoes Senator Marco Rubio's effort to change US immigration policy to focus on economic goals, so that immigrants have the more-sophisticated skills needed in 21st century America. The Federation for Immigration Reform notes : "America’s bountiful welfare system is a major magnet for unskilled foreigners to come here." The Rubio approach agrees with CIS : “The greater consumption of welfare dollars by immigrants can be explained in large part by their lower level of education and larger number of children compared to natives....24% of immigrant households are headed by a high school dropout, compared to just 8% of native households. In addition, 13% of immigrant households have three or more children vs. just 6% of native households.” There are solutions to America's welfare problem. Tomorrow.