[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19930]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           A MAJORITY OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS RELY ON WELFARE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LAMAR SMITH

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 9, 2015

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a recent report found that more than 
half of immigrant households (both legal and illegal) in the United 
States receive welfare benefits--compared to only 30% of native 
households.
  The report by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) determined 
that welfare use increased significantly for households with children.
  Almost half of immigrant households who have been in the country for 
more than 20 years still rely on welfare. This contradicts the commonly 
held notion that long-time immigrants don't consume government 
benefits.
  Our immigration and welfare programs should not subsidize other 
nations' low-skilled workers who compete with struggling American 
families for scarce jobs.
  The CIS report reminds us how much work remains before we have an 
immigration system that puts the interests of Americans first.

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