(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) A report by the Center for Immigration Studies unveiled that 59 percent of households led by illegal immigrants use at least one major taxpayer-funded welfare program, far higher than the 39 percent of U.S.-born households.
Authored by CIS analysts Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler, the study relied on newly released data from the 2022 Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), shedding light on the burden carried by U.S. taxpayers by illegal immigration.
Government-funded social programs typically are not offered to illegal aliens. However, those with children born in the U.S. can bypass these restrictions by accessing benefits provided to their children, CIS reported.
The report highlighted that some U.S. states offer Medicaid to some adult illegal aliens and children, with other states providing SNAP, commonly known as food stamps.
The 59 percent figure refers to non-citizen households, including those conformed by permanent residents (also known as green card holders) and illegal immigrants.
“Our best estimate is that 59 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants, also called the undocumented, use at least one major program,” the report read, before warning that there is no evidence of fraud tied to the benefits.
The rate among legal immigrants is equally higher than U.S.-born households, standing at approximately 52 percent.
“No one program explains the higher overall use of welfare by immigrants,” the report continued. “For example, excluding the extensively used but less budgetary costly school lunch/breakfast program, along with the WIC nutrition program, still shows 46 percent of all immigrant households and 33 percent of U.S.-born households use at least one of the remaining programs.”
Additionally, the report emphasized that the substantial number of welfare recipients cannot be attributed to “unwillingness to work,” as 83 percent of all immigrant households and 94 percent of those led by illegal immigrants have at least one employed member. In contrast, 73 percent of U.S.-born households have at least one worker.
“Immigrant households without children, as well as those with high incomes and those headed by immigrants with at least a bachelor’s degree, tend to be more likely to use welfare than their U.S.-born counterparts,” the report added.
These findings come amid the Biden administration grappling with unprecedented levels of illegal immigration at the southern border.
Several Democratic governors and mayors have criticized President Joe Biden for the overwhelming influx of illegal aliens flooding border states and various cities, including New York City and Chicago.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was forced to significantly reduce the city’s budget to offset the taxpayer-funded services provided to illegal aliens.
Similarly, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson filed a lawsuit against busing companies transporting illegal aliens to Chicago.
