Refugees Tapping Taxpayers for Food Stamps, Other Welfare

Most refugees resetteled in the United States are on the government dole according to the latest report to Congress by The Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Shockingly, three out of every four refugees were collecting food stamps.

Additionally, nearly half were on some form of cash assistance and more than a half were on medical assistance. More than 20 percent were on Supplemental Security Income, more than 22 percent were in public housing and nearly 20 percent were on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Many households received more than one type of assistance. The report only covered refugees entering the United States from March 1, 2008 to February 28, 2013.

Refugees from Africa and the Middle East were the heaviest users of cash assistance at 61.9 percent and 68.3 percent respectively. Latin American refugees only used cash assistance at a rate of 8.1 percent and South Asia used about 42.7 percent. Data for Europe and the former Soviet Union was not available.

The use of food stamps — or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — also varied with 88.9 percent of refugees from Africa, 91.4 percent of Middle Eastern refugees,  the Middle East, 72.9 percent of South Asia, and 36.7 percent of Latin American refugees using the benefit.

Overall, according to the report just 50 percent of refugee households in the five year window were self-sufficient.