MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF MIDDLE EASTERN REFUGEES ON FOOD STAMPS
MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF MIDDLE EASTERN REFUGEES ON FOOD STAMPS
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/09/10/more-than-90-percent-of-middle-eastern-refugees-on-food-stamps
by CAROLINE MAY10 Sep 20152,424
More than 90 percent of recent refugees from Middle Eastern nations are on food
stamps and nearly 70 percent receive cash assistance, according to government
data.
According to Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) data highlighted by the
immigration subcommittee staff of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)80%
— chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest — in FY
2013, 91.4 percent of Middle Eastern refugees (accepted to the U.S. between
2008-2013) received food stamps, 73.1 percent were on Medicaid or Refugee
Medical Assistance and 68.3 percent were on cash welfare.
Middle Eastern refugees used a number of other assistance programs at slightly
lower rates. For example, 36.7 percent received Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF), 32.1 percent received Supplemental Security Income (SSI), 19.7
percent lived in public housing, 17.3 percent were on General Assistance (GA),
and 10.9 percent received Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA).
The high welfare rates among Middle Eastern refugees comes as the Obama
administration considers increasing the number of refugees — who are immediately
eligible for public benefits — to the U.S., particularly Syrian refugees.
ORR defines refugees and asylees from the “Middle East” as being from
Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey,
and Yemen.
Sessions’ staff notes that that from FY 2008 to FY 2013 the U.S. admitted
115,617 refugees from the Middle East and granted another 10,026 asylum.
Additionally the U.S. granted green cards to 308,805 immigrants from those
Middle Eastern countries identified by ORR as refugee nations, making them
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) eligible to apply for citizenship in five
years and petition to have family members come to the U.S.
