Give us your tired, your poor — your entitled

OPINION:

Fifty-three percent of households headed by immigrants, whether legal or illegal, take taxpayer-funded welfare benefits, compared to 37 percent of homes headed by those born in the United States.

How is this helping America?

Bringing in — allowing in — encouraging in — those who come to take is not a sustainable system for a country that supposedly values individualism and liberty.

The American spirit is “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” — not give me your tired, poor, entitled and lazy.

From the Center for Immigration Studies, in an analysis of 2024 Census Bureau data: “Fifty-three percent of households headed by immigrants — naturalized citizens, legal residents, and illegal immigrants — used one or more major welfare programs. This compares to 37 percent for U.S.-born households.”

For shame.

“Our best estimate,” CIS found, “is that 51 percent of households headed by legal immigrants use at least one major welfare program. Among illegal immigrants, also called the undocumented, we estimate the rate is 61 percent. We have no evidence that this is due to fraud.”

That means illegals are legally living off the taxpayers’ dime.

For shame, for shame.

They get the welfare because their children were born in the United States — a la anchor baby-like.

Moreover, CIS wrote, “illegal immigrant children can receive free/reduced price school lunch/breakfast and WIC directly. A number of states provide Medicaid to some illegal alien adults and children, and a few provide SNAP. Several million illegal immigrants also have work authorization … allowing receipt of the Earned Income Tax Credit.”

This is quite different from the lines the Democrats sell that go like this: Illegals don’t receive welfare! Illegals are hard-working individuals who simply come to America to work, and work more, and work to support their families, and oh, they’re oh so hard-working!

Turns out — a large percentage, not so much.

For taxpayers, this study is eye-opening because it provides the numbers that back what many, mostly on the conservative side of political aisles, have suspected and alleged for years — that illegals are bleeding the welfare pockets dry. 

But for all of American society, this study is significant because it underscores a problem with opening borders wide to those who come from countries with socialist and communist governments — that is, they bring those mindsets with them. 

America needs to be choosy about who comes to America, and top of the list of priorities should be only those who cherish individualism and God-given liberties and rights ought to be allowed through the doors. Whether entering under refugee status, or seeking asylum based on fears for life and limb, or simply looking for a new life with better opportunities, those coming into this country should be vetted for a willingness to adhere to American principles, most notably, the idea of limited government. 

Democrats won’t do this vetting because Democrats want a class of voters who can’t provide for themselves; who rely on handouts to survive; who want cradle-to-grave service from government — because this is how Democrats stay in political power. They promise to provide these tax-paid benefits.

But the taxpayers can only pay so much.

Sooner or later, the ratio of giver-to-taker tips in favor of takers. And then who pays?

And as CIS shows: America is reaching that very tipping point.

• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.