Americans who are struggling to survive due to high unemployment and low wages may be asking why illegal aliens receive benefits from state and federal governments. Federal law does prevent illegal aliens from receiving benefits meant for American citizens. The only benefit that illegal aliens are allowed is emergency medical care.
Just because illegal aliens are not legally entitled to these benefits does not mean they do not apply for them. Yes. It is true that illegal aliens have received grants, professional accreditations, loans, WIC, disability, public housing, college educations, food stamps, unemployment benefits, and tax credits from state and federal agencies.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, at least one third of foreign born citizens in the United States are illegal aliens. Since children born in the United States are considered U.S. Citizens, it becomes complicated when illegal aliens then bear children who are U.S. Citizens.
If the U.S. government sent the parents of these children away, we would be separating families. Now that these families have given birth to U.S. citizens, the families are eligible for benefits such as WIC and food stamps. Benefits such as these are for low income families. Illegal aliens often work in low paying jobs so they now qualify for benefits.
Illegal immigrants enter the country by overstaying their visa. Officers of the law do not make it a habit to stop people and ask to see their papers. What this means is that if a person overstays their visa, they can find ways to work and receive benefits.
Another way illegal aliens enter the U.S. is by using forged documents. If people at port authorities, international airports, and border crossings are not catching forged documents, foreign citizens have just entered the U.S. without question.
Once illegal immigrants arrive, they buy forged documents saying they are U.S. citizens. The only way to stop this is to crack down on those who make and sell forged documents. If employers, state, and federal agencies cannot tell a forged document from a real document, then of course illegal aliens will receive benefits.
Our own failures to improve security, verify immigrant status, and recognize forged documents are what cause illegal aliens to receive benefits.