According to a report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), nearly half of all households headed by immigrants in the United States are receiving some form of welfare. Using Census Bureau data from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement, researchers found that 47 percent of immigrant-led households are enrolled in at least one welfare program.
That number climbs even higher—to 54 percent—when tax-based benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit are included.
By comparison, significantly fewer native-born households rely on similar support. Just 28 percent of households headed by U.S.-born Americans receive welfare, rising modestly to 31 percent when tax credits are factored in.
The breakdown by country of origin adds another layer to the story. Immigrant households from Afghanistan top the list, with a striking 87 percent participating in welfare programs. The Dominican Republic follows at 78 percent, with Guatemala at 77 percent, Honduras at 75 percent, and Mexico at 67 percent.
THEY ARE NOT HELPING THE ECONOMY…THEY ARE DRAINING OUR ECONOMY
Analysis: Nearly Half of Immigrant Households in U.S. Are on Welfarehttps://t.co/lF7tBwbOHj
— deborah green (@NewaiGreen) March 20, 2026
Should immigrant households receive welfare benefits?
Analysis: Nearly Half of Immigrant Households in U.S. Are on WelfareOn the other end of the spectrum, immigrants from countries like Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India show the lowest rates of welfare use among foreign-born populations.
CIS researchers point out that legal restrictions alone have not prevented widespread access to benefits. While many legal and illegal immigrants are barred from directly receiving certain forms of means-tested aid, those limitations often don’t apply when benefits are accessed on behalf of U.S.-born children.
“Non-citizens often receive benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born children,” the report notes, highlighting a key pathway into the welfare system. Combined with generally lower average education levels and incomes among some immigrant groups, eligibility for anti-poverty programs becomes more common.
The findings arrive as the United States continues to admit roughly one million legal immigrants annually, alongside another million temporary foreign workers. At the same time, estimates of the illegal immigrant population range widely—from 11 million to as high as 22 million.
