WELFARE REFORM AND IMMIGRANTS

Camille Bogle

Professor Kuechler

GSR 716-1

May 29, 1997



TABLE OF CONTEXT

INTRODUCTION:

HISTORY:

LEGISLATIVE BILLS:

POSITIONS BY ORGANIZATIONS:

PUBLIC OPINION:

STATISTICS:

CONCLUSION:

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

INTRODUCTION:

The New Welfare Reform Bill President Clinton signed into law, in August of 1996 is going to have a great deal of impact upon the poor. This Bill is going to be even harsher for illegal and legal immigrants, whom for years, worked hard in building the economy of the United States of America (USA). If it was not for these Immigrants, America would not be the way it is today. Every Immigrant coming together for a common cause, which is, the growth of the economy as well as achieving the American Dream. During the last few years, there has been a constant down sizing by companies, an increase in unemployment insurance applicants, a rise in immigrant applying for government programs, and the constant struggle of the economy, has caused the United States Government to pass laws that would reduce the number of immigrants applying for public assistance. According to the elected officials, these new laws can revitalize the economy by refusing to provide certain public assistance to some immigrants. These laws is going to hurt the economy rather than help. The welfare system needs to be restructured, but throwing eligible clients off and out into the streets, is going to have a negative impact on the survival of the U.S. economy.

HISTORY:

The depression of 1935 was best remembered because of the changes within the Social Security Act. One of these changes was the birth of the public assistance program which was implemented under the American National Policy. Child welfare and the public health service was not the main concern for the states. Instead, the public assistance titles was more important because it dealt with the three major categories of the state aid for the blind, the aged and the disabled (Hand book of Political Science, Vol 6, pg 116).

There were no provisions made to help public assistance recipients under the original Social security legislation because the money by itself would not combat the issues of the poor. The first social service Federal funding for the recipients was enacted in 1956 where States were eligible for fifty percent of the cost (Section 13. Title XX Social Services Block Grant Program).

The Social Security Act has been through major restructuring over the years, to combat the problems of the people. During this time, Immigrants were not considered to be a major factor, the government wanted to find out, why welfare applicants increased during 1970 and 1980? Based upon the 1970 and 1980 Census data, welfare participation for citizen and non-citizen have increased. Although, the numbers for the two groups were elevated, the non-citizen group numbers were apparent. The latest restructuring to the Social Security Act, took place on August 22, 1996, when President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, into law, which have extensive provision for immigrants within the welfare program (Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Vol 44, 196).

LEGISLATIVE BILLS:

For a person to receive any government subsidies, their income, resources, and financial need should be assessed. For instance, if the individual is applying for cash, medical, food, and housing assistance the assessment will made through the Federal means-tested program which has a docket number of H.R. 3734. According to the Byrd rule, the definition of H.R. 3734 was deleted from the conference agreement but it was reintroduced within the 1996 Act.
A Qualified alien is an individual who have entered the United States of America (USA) through legal entry, a refugee, an asylees, parolees after a year, and battered spouses and children are eligible for federal, state, or local benefits.

SSI AND FOOD STAMP BAR:

According to the Immigrant Provisions in Welfare Reform (Title IV), for legal immigrant to receive food stamps as well as the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) they will have to become a citizen, for an immigrant to become a citizen, they must be living in the United States for five years. There are some exceptions to the food stamp and SSI entitlements:

Cash Assistance (TANF), Medicaid, and SSBG (State Option):

Notation To Reader: TANF, Health Insurance, and SSBG is a bookmark to these topics within the paper. Title IV-4, Medicaid, and Social Service Block Grant is linked to the original document on the web. Thank you

According to the Immigrant Provisions in Welfare Reform, legal immigrants who are presently receiving benefits can have their eligibility determine by the States. These benefits include cash assistance under the Title IV-A, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid (Health Insurance), and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). After January 1, 1997, assistance to current immigrants can be provided or denied by the States. Immigrants who have just arrived within the Country are ineligible for some assistance.

The function for TANF is to assist families and their children within their homes by encouraging job search, job dependency, and a two parent environment through marriage. Out of wedlock pregnancies should be discourage by the States by promoting what positive effects a two parent home can have on a child rearing. Illegitimacy Reduction Fund (IRBF) is a State can receive up to $ 25 million annually if their state have the highest success rate in reducing out of wedlock births.

Once a legal immigrant meets the financial requirements for Medicaid the States have the option to accept or denied assistance. Under the new Laws, States cannot close a Medicaid case for qualified aliens before August 22, 1996 but they can do so after January 1, 1997. If the States do not amend the State Plan by January 1, 1997 to discontinue coverage for the individual, that client is still covered under medicaid. Clients who are not considered to be qualified aliens will lose medical benefits. The only benefits these clients can receive is emergency medical coverage where no State can deny coverage. There are some exceptions to these qualifications refugees, asylees, individuals facing deportation, legal immigrants who have worked for forty quarters, and military personnel are exempt, these same rules goes for these individuals under the food stamp and SSI requirements.

According to the TANF Block Grant (Title I), States can use their grant, any way they see fit, that will help their clients to become self sufficient. States will receive money the $800 million cap for fiscal year of 1998 thru fiscal year 2001. These funds are available to States who have a high population growth or to States whose grant amounts are low for each low income person. In 1994, States who do qualify will receive 2.5 percent for that year. For States to qualify for these Grants their population had to increase more than ten percent during April 1, 1990 and July 1, 1994. At present, there are twenty States who are eligible for this program stated by the Library of Congress's Congressional Research Service.

POSITIONS BY ORGANIZATIONS:

According to the letter sent to the Senate on National Governors Association Proposals for Medicaid and Welfare Reform by Jack Sheinkman, president of the Americans for Democratic Action, the proposals for Medicaid and welfare reform is untenable, If these proposal is enacted it will be detrimental to the American family. The National Governors Association (NGA) would like to decrease the amount of money spend on the food stamp program for non-citizens by $26 billion dollars over seven years. At the same time, Congress is thinking about adding an additional one billion to the numbers that is posed. According to NGA, welfare recipients will be able to find a job work within two years. The Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) prefer to have to the people worked instead of being dependent upon welfare. There are about 13 million Americans who are unemployed. The welfare reform should implement categories for employment strategies, job training as well as creation of new jobs, and programs for child care. According to ADA, the NGA proposals will collapse because the needs of the people will not be met. "NGA failed to make work a real option for the poor and will result only in a "race to the bottom" as states compete to lower costs without regards for real needs or solutions (NGA Proposals in Budget and Policy, 1996.)."

PUBLIC OPINION:

Newspaper editorial Opposing Welfare Reform Bill by Senator Wellstone, told the President that the welfare bill be harsh for legal immigrants. Senator Wellstone stated that under the new legislation, the official message by the nation would be "You are welcome only as long as you remain gainfully employed." The Senator continue to say, a down-on-his-luck immigrant could get no cash assistance whatsoever from his new country (Welfare Reform Bill: Senate Speeches, Articles Opposing Bill).

According to the National People's Campaign, legal immigrants are the new target for the anti-immigrant legislators. The welfare reform bill will cause many legal immigrants to lose SSI benefits and the States can disqualify documented immigrants from ADFC which will be harsh for many families as they would lose their benefits including medical assistance. The National People's Campaign stated that many workers are immigrant and these workers make up a large percentage of the work force. Attacking legal immigrants is like "attacking all unionized worker." "Clinton and Dole are waging a united war against workers, women, people of color, immigrants, the poor, gays -- against all of us. We need a united fight back to defend the rights that were won in the streets."

STATISTICS:

According to Table I-5. Immigration to the United States: Fiscal years 1820-1992. The data shows that between 1820 and 1992 59,795,158 billion people migrated to the United States. The numbers shown are as follows: from 1820-67, figures represent alien passengers arrived at seaports; from 1868-92 and 1895-97, immigrant aliens arrived; from 1892-94 and 1898-1992, immigrant aliens admitted for permanent residence. From 1892-1903, aliens entering by cabin class were not counted as immigrants. Land arrivals were not completely enumerated until 1908.

According the Institute for Research in Social Science: Now I'd like to read you a series of statements about immigration in this country. Item: Immigrants use more than their fair share of government services, such as welfare, medical care, and food stamps. Responses: Agree/Disagree/Not sure:

59.50 percent of the respondents agree, while 35.20 percent of the respondents disagree, and 5.30 percent of the respondents were not sure. The number of Valid Cases is 1255 and this query run the SAS/SPSS. The Variable Name was BW5_E. The Survey took place on June of 1992.

CONCLUSION:

After doing this paper my attitude toward the New Welfare Reform did not change. I am still against the Bill because this country was built on the admission of immigrants and to blame them for the State of the Country is not right. When Welfare was first enacted in 1955, it was designed to help the people after World War II and during the depression. The government officials who wanted to do away with Welfare should design a plan that will help the more rather than, hurting them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY