Working Paper: NBER ID: w4872
Authors: George J. Borjas
Abstract: This paper uses the 1970, 1980, and 1990 Public Use Samples of the U.S. Census to trace the evolution of immigrant participation in welfare programs during the past two decades. The data indicate that immigrant participation in welfare programs is on the rise, and that the dollar costs associated with this trend are rising even faster. By 1990, immigrant households received a disproportionately high share of the cash benefits distributed in the United States. Even though only 8.4 percent of the households are foreign-born, these households accounted for 10.1 percent of all households that received public assistance, and for 13.1 percent of the total cash assistance distributed.
Keywords: Immigration; Welfare Programs; Public Assistance
JEL Codes: J61; H53
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Increase in immigrant households (J69) | Increase in welfare benefits received (I38) |
| More recent immigrant waves (J69) | Higher probabilities of receiving public assistance (I38) |
| Welfare participation rate of a specific cohort increases over time (I38) | Immigrants assimilate into the welfare system (I38) |