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Separating Fact From Fiction: Refugees, Immigrants And Public Benefitsby Andrea Nill for the Immigration Policy CenterNot all emails are equal or even accurate. Anti-immigrant activists like to stir up anger by distorting the facts with dishonest claims. They say immigrants get more benefits than Americans. Here are the quick facts (read below for the details) that they don’t tell you:
The U.S. accepts a small number of refugees into the U.S. each year. The U.S. carefully screens refugees to ensure that they are legitimately in need of protection. Examples of refugees include: Albert Einstein, Madeleine Albright, Henry Kissinger, and Olympic track and field athlete Lopez Lomong. In the last few years the U.S. has accepted approximately 45,000 refugees per year (far below the allowable ceiling of 70,000). This is only a tiny percentage of the world’s 14 million refugees. As a long-standing policy, the U.S. has offered some initial support to refugees because they have fled oppression and persecution, and often arrive with little more than the clothes on their back. It is in our nation’s interest to remain a role model and a beacon of hope to those fleeing political or religious oppression, while at same time ensuring that we do not create dependency on public services. That is why refugees may be eligible to receive a limited number of public benefits immediately upon entering the U.S., if they meet all the eligibility requirements, but they remain eligible for a limited amount of time only. This allows them to get on their feet, but does not allow refugees to become dependent on public benefits. Legal Immigrants Are Restricted from Receiving Most Federal Benefits Federal law imposes harsh restrictions on legal immigrants’ eligibility for public benefits. Most documented immigrants cannot receive federal Medicaid, TANF, food stamps, or SSI during their first five years in the U.S., and their access is highly restricted until they become U.S. citizens, regardless of how much they have worked or paid in taxes. Undocumented Immigrants Are Not on the Welfare Wagon While undocumented immigrants are able to receive emergency medical care and a few other public benefits that are in the interest of public health and safety (such as immunizations), they are NOT eligible for federal programs such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), health care (Medicaid and Medicare), or food stamps. Refugees, Social Security, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Social Security and SSI are two very different federal programs with very different eligibility requirements. A small number of people may be eligible for both, provided they meet the strict eligibility requirements of both programs, but most people do not receive both.
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