Sixty-three percent of noncitizens are making use of a welfare program, according to a Census Bureau study, the Washington Examiner reported on Monday.
The findings, based on the latest numbers from 2014, appear to bolster President Donald Trump’s concern that immigrants are expensive to the nation, as only 35 percent of native-headed households make use of a welfare program.
Making the point even stronger is that among those non-citizens in the U.S. for 10 years or more, those on welfare is even higher, at 70 percent.
“The Trump administration has proposed new ‘public charge’ rules making it harder for prospective immigrants to qualify for lawful permanent residence - green cards - if they use or are likely to use U.S. welfare programs,” the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies think tank said in its report.
“Concern over immigrant welfare use is justified, as households headed by non-citizens use means-tested welfare at high rates,” the study continues. “While barriers to welfare use exist for these groups, it has not prevented them from making extensive use of the welfare system, often receiving benefits on behalf of U.S.-born children.”
The CIS report also says that half of the non-citizens making use of welfare are in the country illegally.
Illustrating specific examples, the report points out that non-citizen households have much higher use of food programs (45 percent vs. 21 percent for natives) and Medicaid (50 percent vs. 23 percent for natives).
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