Report: Half of US immigrant households depend on welfare

In the United States, nearly half of immigrant-headed households refer to some form of welfare assistance, reveals a recent analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) based on data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. The figure reflects a complex mosaic of realities: from families seeking to overcome poverty to households that, despite working, see social assistance as an essential support to make ends meet.

In concrete terms, about 47% of these households use traditional programs such as TANF, SSI, SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, public or subsidized housing, and free or subsidized school meals. If tax benefits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit are included, the percentage rises to 54%.

Significant disparities by country of origin

A comparison with households headed by native-born Americans is revealing: only 28% receive traditional welfare or 31% if tax credits are included. The difference largely reflects the economic challenges faced by many immigrants.

Data by country of origin show notable disparities. Among the households most dependent on these programs are those from Afghanistan (87%), Dominican Republic (78%), Guatemala (77%), Honduras (75%) and Mexico (67%). At the opposite extreme, households from Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada and India are among the lowest users of social assistance.

According to CIS researchers, these figures do not reflect a lack of willingness to work. On the contrary, most immigrants are employed; what determines access to social assistance is income, the number of dependents and, sometimes, the absence of significant assets.

"While many immigrants are barred from most means-tested programs, these restrictions have not prevented large numbers of noncitizen-headed households from accessing the welfare system," the report's authors note.

"This is largely because benefits can be received on behalf of U.S.-born children and because restrictions only apply to some programs."

An undocumented immigrant population estimated at between 11 and 22 million

The CIS analysis stresses that the lower educational levels of many immigrants, linked to lower incomes, explain in large part why so many households turn to welfare. In this context, state aid becomes a buffer against vulnerability, a bridge that allows hard-working families with limited resources to maintain a minimum of economic stability.

Each year, the United States grants permanent residency to about one million legal immigrants, while about another million arrive on temporary work visas. For its part, the undocumented immigrant population is estimated at between 11 and 22 million, a large sector that, despite legal restrictions, participates in the welfare system when conditions permit.