Immigration: Welfare Use By Immigrant Households With Children: A Look At Cash, Medicaid, Housing And Food Programs

From The Center for Immigration Studies:






Immigration





Welfare Use by Immigrant Households with Children: A Look at Cash, Medicaid, Housing, and Food Programs



by Steven A. Camarota



Center for Immigration Studies



April 07, 2011



Backgrounder





Concern that immigrants may become a burden on society has been a long-standing issue in the United States. As far back as colonial times there were restrictions on the arrival of people who might become a burden on the community. This report analyzes survey data collected by the Census Bureau from 2002 to 2009 to examine use of welfare programs by immigrant and native households, particularly those with children. The findings show that more than half of immigrant-headed households with children use at least one major welfare program, compared to about one-third of native-headed households. The primary reason immigrant households with children tend to have higher overall rates is their much higher use of food assistance programs and Medicaid; use of cash assistance and housing programs tends to be very similar to native households.


URL: www.cis.org/articles/2011/immigrant-welfare-use-4-11.pdf