A new report finds Afghan-headed households have the highest welfare use among non-citizens, while Indian households rank among the lowest.
A March 18 analysis of Census Bureau survey data reported wide disparities in welfare usage among non-citizen-headed households in the United States, with rates varying sharply by country of origin and closely tracking education levels.
The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) report, authored by Dr. Steven A. Camarota and Karen Zeigler, examined participation in means-tested programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance, as well as eligibility for tax credits.
Among the most striking contrasts, 87% of non-citizen households from Afghanistan were found to use at least one welfare program or qualify for tax credits, compared to 16% of households from India, according to the report.
The findings place several countries at the top end of welfare usage:
| Country | Welfare Use / Eligibility (%) |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 87% |
| Dominican Republic | 78% |
| Guatemala | 77% |
| Honduras | 75% |
| Mexico | 67% |
Overall, 47% of households headed by a non-citizen use at least one traditional welfare program, rising to 54% when tax credits are included. That compares with 28% and 31%, respectively, for households headed by a U.S.-born citizen, according to the analysis.
The report emphasized that employment is not the primary driver of welfare use. Most non-citizen-headed households include at least one worker, but lower average education levels often correspond to lower wages, making families eligible for assistance.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, several countries showed comparatively low usage rates:
| Country | Welfare Use / Eligibility (%) |
|---|---|
| India | 16% |
| Canada | 21% |
| United Kingdom | 25% |
| Korea | 30% |
The authors found a strong negative correlation between education and welfare use, estimating that each additional year of schooling is associated with a roughly seven percentage-point decline in reliance on assistance programs.
The findings come as policymakers continue to debate immigration and welfare policy, often citing concerns about costs and system integrity. Recent congressional scrutiny has also focused on fraud within public assistance programs.
As previously reported, Minnesota officials faced allegations of failing to prevent billions in fraudulent claims tied to welfare programs, including accusations that “billions of taxpayer dollars” were lost or put at risk.
A separate analysis found that immigrants consumed less welfare per capita than native-born Americans in 2022, and that non-citizens, in particular, used significantly fewer benefits relative to their share of the population, according to a report from the Libertarian-leaning CATO Institute.
The newer findings highlight that aggregate national figures can mask large differences between groups, particularly when broken down by country of origin and education levels.
The authors concluded that welfare usage patterns are less about willingness to work and more about income and qualifications, arguing that policy outcomes are shaped heavily by the skill composition of incoming populations.
