LA Supervisor Report: Children of Illegal Aliens Cost L.A. Co. $54M a Month
Article subtitle:
Additional $54 million in welfare payments issued in April to illegal alien parents
Article publisher:
KTLA 5
Article date:
16 June 2013
Article category:
National News
Medium
Article Body:
The children of undocumented immigrants cost Los Angeles County more than $54 Million per month, Supervisor Mike Antonovich announced Friday.
In a press release, Antonovich said that the tally came from figures provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).
The DPSS estimated that the county provided $54 million in assistance to the children of undocumented immigrants, consisting of about $20 million in CalWORKs (welfare) and $35 million in food stamps.
The DPSS projected undocumented immigrant parents would receive approximately $650 million in assistance in 2013.
CAIRCO Research
June 14, 2013
For Immediate Release
LOS ANGELES COUNTY— With an additional $54 million in welfare payments issued in April to illegal alien parents for their native-born children, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services projects that more than $650 million in welfare benefits will be distributed to illegal alien parents in 2013, announced Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.
The $54 million spent in the month of April alone, consists of nearly $20 million in CalWORKs (welfare) and $35 million in food stamps — representing 20% of all CalWORKs and food stamp issuances in the County. At this rate, the projected annual cost is approximately $650 million.
“When you add the $550 million for public safety and nearly $500 million for healthcare, the total cost for illegal immigrants to County taxpayers exceeds $1.6 billion dollars a year,” said Antonovich. “These costs do not even include the hundreds of millions of dollars spent annually for education.”
FIGURES FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES Chart here
Chart Costs - Illegals only
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Contact: Tony Bell, Communications Deputy
Office: (213) 974-5555 Cell: (213) 215-5176
With an estimated 1.1 million people in L.A. County illegally, officials fear that the county will get stuck with many costs for those who apply for citizenship.
May 11, 2013
Local and state officials believe the overhaul bill will encourage those in the country illegally to come out of the shadows and turn to local services during the proposed 13-year-long pathway to citizenship.
"The one thing that's really clear as day is that the federal government is going to be protecting itself against costs, and we're going to be left holding the bag," said Mark Tajima, an analyst with the county's chief administrative office ...
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(CA) Sen. Barbara Boxer is planning an amendment to the Senate's immigration bill which would redirect funds committed to border security to reimburse state and local governments providing health care to newly legalized immigrants ... In almost half the states, however, they would be eligible for state and local government assistance. The legalization in the Senate bill would put a strain on already stretched government budgets.
Boxer's amendment funds this assistance by using fees paid by illegal immigrants applying for legalization. Under the Senate bill currently, that money is earmarked for border security. The amendment is an admission that the rush to legalization will put a strain on taxpayers. It is also an admission that border security isn't a big priority for many of those supporting this bill.
Boxer is also seeking to allow newly legalized immigrants to access federal welfare benefits sooner.
Email U.S Senator Boxer (CA)