Welfare Assistance Among U.S. Households Headed by Immigrants
According to an analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) based on Census Bureau data, almost half of households led by either legal or undocumented residents in the United States are recipients of some type of welfare assistance.
In examining the demographics of immigrant welfare usage, CIS utilized the Annual Socioeconomic Supplement of the Current Population Survey. The analysis found that around 47 percent of immigrant-headed households rely on one or more forms of welfare. Notably, when considering the earned income tax credit or additional child tax credit as part of the benefits, this figure climbs to 54 percent.
In comparison, only 28 percent of households headed by native-born Americans receive welfare assistance, and just 31 percent access welfare that incorporates tax credits as well.
Interestingly, countries with the highest percentages of welfare users among immigrants in the United States include Afghanistan at 87 percent, the Dominican Republic at 78 percent, Guatemala at 77 percent, Honduras at 75 percent, and Mexico at 67 percent.
Conversely, immigrant households from countries like South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India demonstrate some of the lowest rates of welfare utilization within the immigrant population in the U.S.
CIS researchers pointed out that while many new legal and undocumented immigrants face barriers in accessing means-tested programs, these restrictions often do not hinder most noncitizen households from tapping into the welfare system. This access is frequently related to benefits received on behalf of their U.S.-born children, with certain programs having restrictions that only apply to select benefits.
The research indicates that the education levels and resultant incomes of many noncitizens lead to significant usage of means-tested anti-poverty programs. Each year, the U.S. grants green cards to about one million legal immigrants, alongside approximately one million foreign nationals entering the country on temporary work visas. The undocumented population in the U.S. is estimated to range from 11 million to 22 million.
