Benefits for Illegal Aliens: Some Program Costs Increasing, But Total
Costs Unknown (Testimony, 09/29/93, GAO/T-HRD-93-33).
The benefits available to illegal aliens and their U.S. citizen children
make up a small but rising percentage of costs for some government
programs, such as Medicaid, public education, and food stamps. Existing
cost estimates, however, provide at best a sketchy picture of the
situation. Illegal aliens are not required to reveal their status to
receive some benefits; in other cases, officials are prohibited from
asking about alien status. National cost data are only available for
welfare benefits, which in fiscal year 1992 totaled $479 million for
illegal aliens with children who are U.S. citizens. The five states
accounting for nearly 80 percent of the illegal immigrant
population--California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Florida--pegged
the total cost of federal, state, and local aid to illegal aliens at
about $2.9 billion. The costs of providing these benefits appear to be
on the upswing. These cost estimates, however, exclude government
revenues attributable to illegal aliens.
--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------
REPORTNUM: T-HRD-93-33
TITLE: Benefits for Illegal Aliens: Some Program Costs Increasing,
But Total Costs Unknown
DATE: 09/29/93
SUBJECT: Illegal aliens
Children
Immigration and naturalization law
Entitlement programs
Cost analysis
Eligibility criteria
Federal aid programs
Economic analysis
State-administered programs
Aid to families with dependent children
IDENTIFIER: AFDC
Medicaid Program
California
Texas
New York
Illinois
Florida
Food Stamp Program
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