Thread: L.A. Welfare Tab for Children of Illegal Aliens $600 MILLION

Welfare Tab for Children of Illegal Immigrants Estimated at $600M in L.A. County

Published January 19, 2011
FoxNews.com

Welfare benefits for the children of illegal immigrants cost America's largest county more than $600 million last year, according to a local official keeping tabs on the cost.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich released new statistics this week showing social spending for those families in his county rose to $53 million in November, putting the county government on track to spend more than $600 million on related costs for the year -- up from $570 million in 2009.

Antonovich arrived at the estimate by factoring in the cost of food stamps and welfare-style benefits through a state program known as CalWORKS. Combined with public safety costs and health care costs, the official claimed the "total cost for illegal immigrants to county taxpayers" was more than $1.6 billion in 2010.

"Not including the hundreds of millions of dollars for education," he said in a statement.

Antonovich's figures, though, center on costs generated by American-born children of illegal immigrants. Isabel Alegria, communications director at the California Immigrant Policy Center, said it's "unfair" to roll together costs associated with both illegal immigrants and U.S.-born citizens.

She also questioned the authenticity of Antonovich's numbers regarding health care and public safety -- though for the welfare program statistics, Antonovich cited numbers from the county's Department of Public Social Services.

Antonovich acknowledges that the children whose benefits he's focusing on are U.S.-born. But he argues that the money is collected by the illegal immigrant parents, putting a painful burden on taxpayers, including those who are legal immigrants.

"The problem is illegal immigration. ... Their parents evidently immigrated here in order to get on social services," Antonovich spokesman Tony Bell said. "We can no longer afford to be HMO to the world."

He said the state should cut back on these social benefits. According to the November statistics, that cost accounted for 22 percent of all food stamp and CalWORKS spending in the county.

Over the summer, the Federation for American Immigration Reform also looked at these kinds of costs nationwide to get an idea of the burden to local governments at a time when many are grappling with budget deficits.

The organization reported that the cost of illegal immigration stands at about $113 billion a year. Nearly half of that amount went toward education costs, according to the study. Costs were naturally higher in states with large illegal immigrant populations -- in California, the total annual cost was pegged at $21.8 billion.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01 ... la-county/

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Welfare Tab for Children of Illegal Immigrants Estimated at $600M in L.A. County

Published January 19, 2011
FoxNews.com

Welfare benefits for the children of illegal immigrants cost America's largest county more than $600 million last year, according to a local official keeping tabs on the cost.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich released new statistics this week showing social spending for those families in his county rose to $53 million in November, putting the county government on track to spend more than $600 million on related costs for the year -- up from $570 million in 2009.

Antonovich arrived at the estimate by factoring in the cost of food stamps and welfare-style benefits through a state program known as CalWORKS. Combined with public safety costs and health care costs, the official claimed the "total cost for illegal immigrants to county taxpayers" was more than $1.6 billion in 2010.

"Not including the hundreds of millions of dollars for education," he said in a statement.

Antonovich's figures, though, center on costs generated by American-born children of illegal immigrants. Isabel Alegria, communications director at the California Immigrant Policy Center, said it's "unfair" to roll together costs associated with both illegal immigrants and U.S.-born citizens.

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She also questioned the authenticity of Antonovich's numbers regarding health care and public safety -- though for the welfare program statistics, Antonovich cited numbers from the county's Department of Public Social Services.

Antonovich acknowledges that the children whose benefits he's focusing on are U.S.-born. But he argues that the money is collected by the illegal immigrant parents, putting a painful burden on taxpayers, including those who are legal immigrants.

"The problem is illegal immigration. ... Their parents evidently immigrated here in order to get on social services," Antonovich spokesman Tony Bell said. "We can no longer afford to be HMO to the world."

He said the state should cut back on these social benefits. According to the November statistics, that cost accounted for 22 percent of all food stamp and CalWORKS spending in the county.

Over the summer, the Federation for American Immigration Reform also looked at these kinds of costs nationwide to get an idea of the burden to local governments at a time when many are grappling with budget deficits.

The organization reported that the cost of illegal immigration stands at about $113 billion a year. Nearly half of that amount went toward education costs, according to the study. Costs were naturally higher in states with large illegal immigrant populations -- in California, the total annual cost was pegged at $21.8 billion.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01 ... la-county/

well cut them of Welfar . they are Not a Citizen . why the american can not get any help. & you hand out to the illegal Immigrants your Nuts
they don't get any help in mexico to bad . why we dont get any help at all
come ON American wake the hell up
La you are the fool 600 Million your Nuts that why we are In a hole send them all Back to Mexico
No Amnesty

Boy that is one chitload of anchor babies!

Future bangers and LaRaza members.

And half will find their merry criminal arses in our prison system

Everyone please email this article to your local media, and all national media.

Glad to see FOX News is reporting this.

We put an article earlier this week about L.A. Co. spending $53 million for welfare costs due to children of illegals but this goes even further.

RELATED

L.A. County Welfare costs for children of illegal immigrants reaches $53 MILLION per month

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-224900-welfare.html

Without a BS degree in PC BS I can guarantee the costs are STAGGERING as long as the real costs are hidden purposely for the WH agenda. By having Cartels running free in the US will get OBUMMER relected in a Menudo Accorn matter.

I don't even know where to start with the disgusting truth of this article !! It's more PROOF that their pathetic excuse of coming here for "a better life" is one BIG FAT LIE!! If fact, (and they know it), they ONLY come here for "a better life FOR FREE". Guess they convieniently forgot those last two words! They thought our Country would be fooled enough forever, without anyone calling them out on their sick games they've been playing for over 30 years now!
(Mod Edit, RB)
This country BETTER clamp down on birthrights to illegal aliens IMMEDIATELY because this is the biggest EMERGENCY situation is our HISTORY

That estimate of how much is spent a year nationally is way low. problem is many programs and things they just can't count without serious estimations as many areas data is simply not available because the problem simply is undocumented people. None of these studies want to also count the children who have citizenship of illegals either which is the biggest factor.

In the end gross estimates suggest 8-9% of the population is illegal or products of illegals. Then comparing those numbers in comparison to numbers of low income families (generally using the poor black community as a reference tool) vs healthcare costs, education costs, public services cost. Then additionally estimating lost tax revenue.

However many of these factors are fairly close to just guess work so never make it into studies. But its fairly easy to see that its far bigger a cost of whats not counted then what is.

Welfare for children of illegal immigrants in L.A. County likely headed toward unsustainable path

by Christopher A. Guzman
Fri, Jan 21st 2011

Costs in the CalWORKS welfare benefits program for the children of illegal immigrants living in Los Angeles County are rising, according to a report released by County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

Welfare costs that went to the children of illegal immigrants exceeded $600 million, it said. In November alone, costs rose by $53 million. Social spending, as a whole, is up in Los Angeles County from $500 million last year. Currently, California has the highest population of illegal immigrants in the nation. The numbers come not only in a county that has struggled financially but also in a state currently running record deficits. Last year, the supervisor also made note of the program's escalating costs.

While it's not accurate to say that the CalWORKS program is made up entirely of children of illegal immigrants, those born here are eligible for the program by virtue of being automatic United States citizens. It's viewed as an incentive for illegal immigrants to have those termed "anchor babies."

This is precisely what the supervisor sees as problematic in assessing the program's costs. By extension, his immigration platform includes being opposed to birthright citizenship which has received strong opposition from some immigrant groups. In addition to backing up the Arizona immigration law that most of his colleagues on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors denounced, it should also be noted that he has clearly distinguished between illegal and legal immigration, condemning the former and embracing the latter.

"America's legal immigrants provide our communities with new vision and fresh energy, strengthening and enhancing our American culture and economy and securing our nation's dominance in the global economy. Illegal immigration, however, is an affront to those who have legally immigrated. It has had a catastrophic economic effect on our state and county," he states as one of his illegal immigration policy stances.

Lest Antonovich be painted as leaving Mexicans to fend for themselves in their own economically-ravaged country, he welcomes a partnership system of medical centers on the Mexican side of the border staffed by American doctors and medical students who work alongside Mexican doctors and students. By doing so, he believes that improved service south of the border will reduce the incentive for individuals to come to the U.S. illegally.

At the same time, Antonovich believes in stronger border enforcement, highlighting that there should be a reserve of border patrol agents much like there is a reserve for police and sheriff departments. Strengthening safeguards against social security card fraud and preventing the use of easily obtained matricula consular cards also falls into the category of discouraging illegal immigration to the states. Along with his CalWORKS report, Antonovich brings up some key immigration issues.

Ultimately, the negative effects that illegal immigration is having on the state's largest county is definitely something that needs to be addressed. Current cracks in immigration policy do demonstrate that there is a lot of work to be done on this front, from welfare reform to security to employment safeguards.

What's happening in L.A. County begs the bigger question: What's so controversial about enforcing existing immigration laws if programs like CalWORKS are putting the county on the path toward fiscal unsustainability? More sustainable options should be considered as a remedy. Although this story is local in nature for now, it is national in scope with responsible immigration enforcement and reform ultimately resting on the Obama administration's shoulders.

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http://caivn.org