The Center For Immigration Studies Lays It On The Line...

WASHINGTON (June 6, 2007) — As they debate legalization for illegal immigrants, Senators would do well to keep in mind the most recent data on welfare use by the people in question. According to the Department of Homeland Security, nearly 60% of illegal aliens are from Mexico and 80% of the total are from Latin America as a whole. A Center for Immigration Studies analysis of 2006 Census Bureau data, which includes legal and illegal immigrants, shows use of welfare by households headed by Mexican and Latin American immigrants is more than double that of native households. Among the findings:

• 51% of all Mexican immigrant households use at least one major welfare program and 28% use more than one program.
  – 40% use food assistance, 35% use Medicaid, 6% use cash assistance.
  

• 45% of all Latin American immigrant households use at least one welfare program and 24% use more than one program.
  – 32% use food assistance, 31% use Medicaid, 6% use cash assistance.
  

• 20% of native households use at least one welfare program and 11% multiple programs.
  – 11% use food assistance, 15% use Medicaid, 5% use cash assistance.
  

• Among Mexican and Latin American households, welfare use is somewhat higher for households headed by legal, as opposed to illegal, immigrants. Thus legalization will likely increase welfare costs still further.
  

• 90% of Mexican and Latin American households have at least one worker. Their heavy welfare use reflects their low education levels and resulting low incomes – and not an unwillingness work.
  – 61% of all Mexican immigrants have not graduated high school.
  – 48% of all Latin American immigrants have not graduated high school.
  

• There is a common but mistaken belief that welfare programs are only for those who don’t work. Actually, the welfare system is designed to provide low-wage workers, or more often their children, things like food assistance and health care.
  

• It is the presence of their U.S.-born children coupled with their low education levels that explains why so many immigrant households use the welfare system.
  

• Most recently arrived immigrants are barred from using welfare programs and this would likely apply to those legalized by the Senate bill – however this is not true in every state, nor does not apply to all programs. Most important, the bar does not apply to the U.S.-born children of immigrants, who are immediately eligible.
  

• There are an estimated 1.4 million households headed by illegal aliens using at least one major welfare program. If even half these families returned to their home countries, the savings for taxpayers could be substantial.
  

• If we do not wish to make a large share of illegals return to their home countries, then the United States has to accept the welfare costs. There is no other option.

• Click the headline link for more. OR do the simple math and multiply our already backbreaking welfare rolls by a factor of 10 should the illegals get amnesty.