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Jul. 02, 2008
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JOHN L. SMITH: Welfare money might be going to illegal immigrants, but don't call it a scandal

JOHN L. SMITH
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It's an outrage. It's a scandal. It's un-American.

And something must be done.

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    • What is it?

    It's the army of illegal aliens getting fat off state welfare benefits. Or, at least that's what earnest callers and letter-writers contend in their regular communications on the subject. Few things seem to rankle readers more than the idea that people here illegally are collecting benefits traditionally reserved for taxpaying citizens.

    With the state budget facing a crisis and the economy on the skids, lately I have been reminded more than usual of the unreported costs generated by the undocumented in our midst. Complaints that come in sporadically in fat times greatly increase in frequency and volume when the governor calls for more than $1 billion in state budget cuts.

    Polls indicate most Nevadans long ago made up their minds about the aliens among them. A Public Opinion Strategies survey taken in April 2006 provides a substantive baseline for the Silver State's immigration mind-set. Pollster Glen Bolger found 88 percent of voters saw themselves concerned "about the issue of illegal immigration." And 76 percent saw a candidate's stance on the issue as something they would likely consider before voting.

    When it comes to receiving a cherished benefit such as the Millennium Scholarship, 67 percent of Nevadans surveyed believed illegal immigrants should be excluded. And another 74 percent believed it should be a felony for businesses to hire illegals. Only half of those polled agreed that children of illegal immigrants should be able to pay in-state college tuition.

    In other words, Nevadans harbored strong feelings about illegal immigration, most of it negative.

    But while the presence of undocumented immigrants in the community may add costs to everything from the county hospital and public education to police service and courtroom calendar calls, it doesn't seem to have crippled Nevada's traditionally tight-fisted welfare system.

    I know that won't sit well with those who dream of an impenetrable border fence and believe illegal immigration is bankrupting the nation. I'm sure the letters are being written before the ink dries on this column.

    There's no shortage of outrage, but in this area there's no great scandal. At least that's the view of Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services administrator Nancy Ford. Her office processes claims for things like federal food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families dollars.

    The first common misconception is that illegal immigrant adults are allowed to collect temporary assistance funds, Ford says. They're not. Undocumented adults are banned by law, and documented adults are banned for five years.

    Their children, however, can receive TANF help. And, obviously, their parents would be allowed access to the dollars.

    Of the 21,043 people in Nevada receiving TANF money as of my recent interview, Ford says 2,350 of those are "citizen children of both documented and undocumented aliens." There were 831 immigrant families in the system last month.

    There's no way around the fact, Ford says, "the adults are going to get the check because the kids aren't going to be able to pay rent and buy food."

    Just how much do these children receive?

    It's $306.62 a month per family for the first child and $50 for each additional child.

    That's not much incentive to start producing progeny.

    "I would say it's probably not cost-effective to have more children," Ford says. "I think the public has a misconception that undocumented aliens are eligible for these programs. They're not."

    Nor, she adds, are the noncitizen children of undocumented immigrants.

    Here is where state welfare sources tell me they see a problem. They tell me it can be much more difficult and time-consuming for citizens with proper identification to receive benefits than it is for immigrants with no proof of citizenship for their children.

    Although no one is turned away at the county hospital, Ford says, only the children of illegal immigrants are eligible for emergency medical care.

    All this doesn't mean documented and undocumented immigrants don't generate a cost to the state's welfare service or that there aren't folks gaming the system. But that cost should be kept in perspective when people start shouting about an immigrant scandal in state welfare.

    Of course, your definition of scandal also depends on your view of immigration.

    Let the letter writing begin.

    John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295.



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    Balloons over America wrote on July 04, 2008 01:33 PM: Section 8 houseing costs about $800 per month
    Food stamps another $100
    Healthcare costs are crippling Cali
    Education costs also astronomical.

    Obviously it's no concern for Mexicans to stand in line over and over again with a new set of fake I.D.'s (welfare fraud) infinitum. Obviously the Mexicans don't care about America except for what they can steal.


    Brittanicus wrote on July 03, 2008 02:15 PM: Here some traumatic facts the ultra-liberal, big business, the church, special interest lobby and radical extremists try to keep secret from the American people. This is not about legal Hispanics who entered America through the front door, but about people who ignored our sovereignty laws and stole into our nation. Must taxpayers be forever support parasite businesses who exploit foreign nationals? Is America condemned to keep on welcoming millions more of poverty, uneducated third world aliens. Are we going to remain burdened with traffic gridlock, access to free health care, free education and cities, communities, neighborhoods compounding pollution and rising crime rate. Border states were under tremendous pressure, with sinking economies until Arizona passed legislation to finally stop pariah businesses, and an overpopulation of illegal immigrants.
    Today Arizona is doing better, since they start enforcing immigration restrictions. You can open your eyes here: (www.mensnewsdaily.com/2008/05/15/striking-changes-in-arizona-as-illegal-immigrants-flee-the-state/#comment-62672 )
    Read about costs the US government keeps under wraps.
    This doesn't include education, free health care or prison services and much more not listed. Find that disturbing report here (www.eagleforum.org/sources).
    Read about one committees free health care research. (www.townhall.com/columnists/AmandaCarpenter/2008/06/12/viral_video_on_immigration_costs )
    Then go here to fight back:
    www.numbersusa.com
    Call your local Democratic representaive and demand the federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) Without jobs, illegal aliens will leave.


    Abraham Lincoln wrote on July 02, 2008 10:01 PM: You ignore the fact that your boy Bush has single-handedly destroyed our country's economy. Just another Republican making excuses. Let me guess . . . the economic problems are all Slick Willy's fault, right?

    Give me a break.


    Mexican Nation wrote on July 02, 2008 09:41 PM: Get use to it people. We Mexicans love it that you all vote for Obama and the Democrats. That way we get a free pass to stay here and collect your welfare dollars while stealing your jobs. Plus you have a better education system that is free for our kids. Keep voting Democrat suckers. They depend on our vote. Oh, and by the way, so long as we have jobs to send money back home, we aren't leaving. Suckers!


    Fred's mom wrote on July 02, 2008 08:51 PM: Hmm, being called an idiot by an idiot. Does that qualify as an insult?


    Mexicans are better wrote on July 02, 2008 08:39 PM: I've grown tired of insulting you idiots. Have a good night.


    Fred wrote on July 02, 2008 08:39 PM: How quickly you change your tune when you've nothing to say. You're really winning this fight now. Now off to bed, you have school in the morning.


    Mexicans are better wrote on July 02, 2008 08:34 PM: Thanks for the help. Now stop typing, and start sucking.


    Fred's mom wrote on July 02, 2008 08:29 PM: I saw that you're having trouble mastering English grammar. I'm just helping you out. I'm sure you need A LOT of help.


    Mexicans are better wrote on July 02, 2008 08:27 PM: Fred's mom: I didn't know that my posts were going to be graded. In the future, I'll be more careful with my punctuation. Now bend over. I have a surprise for you.

    Joe C: That's what I thought - you voted for Bush. We can all thank you for the condition of this country.


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