These claims (“10 Illegal Alien Facts”) have been circulating online for years and have been thoroughly debunked by multiple fact-checking organizations. Here’s a detailed analysis of each claim:
- “More than 43% of all Food Stamps are given to illegals.”
This claim is false. Individuals residing in the U.S. without legal authorization are generally ineligible for federal public benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. The claim’s percentage is implausible given that the total number of unauthorized immigrants is estimated to be around 11 million, making it impossible for them to account for such a high percentage of food stamp recipients. “95% of warrants for murder in Los Angeles are for illegals.”
This statistic lacks official backing and appears to originate from anecdotal estimates dating back to 2004. The Los Angeles Police Department has not provided data to support this figure, and it is considered an exaggerated claim.“Less than 2% of illegals are picking crops, but 41% are on welfare.”
Approximately 4% of unauthorized immigrant workers held farming jobs in 2014, according to the Pew Research Center. The claim that 41% are on welfare is misleading, as individuals without legal status are generally barred from federal public benefits. Some households headed by unauthorized immigrants may receive benefits on behalf of U.S.-born children who are eligible.“More than 66% of all births in California are to illegals on Medi-Cal.”
This claim is false. Data from 2011 indicates that about 15% of all births in California were to undocumented mothers on Medi-Cal. More recent data shows a decline in this percentage.“Nearly 60% of all occupants of HUD properties in U.S. are illegals.”
This claim is unfounded. A 2015 report estimated that in 2012, about 4% of households headed by unauthorized immigrants used housing programs. The figure of 60% is a significant exaggeration.“More than 39% of California students grades 1-12 are illegals.”
This statement is incorrect. In 2014, approximately 12.3% of K-12 students in California had at least one parent who was an unauthorized immigrant. This does not mean the students themselves were undocumented.“75% of L.A.’s Most Wanted are illegals.”
There is no credible data to support this claim. It appears to be another unfounded statistic circulating without official verification.“More than half of all gang members are illegals.”
Official data on the immigration status of gang members is not comprehensively collected. However, available information does not support the claim that more than half of all gang members are unauthorized immigrants.
In summary, these claims are largely based on misinformation and lack credible evidence. It’s essential to critically evaluate such statements and rely on verified data from reputable sources.
Works Cited
“Citizen and Non-Citizen Eligibility.” U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 4 Apr. 2023, https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligibility/citizen-non-citizen-policy.
Krogstad, Jens Manuel, and Jeffrey S. Passel. “5 Facts About Illegal Immigration in the U.S.” Pew Research Center, 12 Nov. 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/12/5-facts-about-illegal-immigration-in-the-u-s/.
“Immigrants and Public Benefits.” Migration Policy Institute, 2019, https://www.migrationpolicy.org.
“Does 95% of Murder Warrants in Los Angeles Target Illegal Immigrants?” PolitiFact, 23 May 2018, https://www.politifact.com.
Robert Farley. “Illegal Immigrants and Crime.” FactCheck.org, 11 May 2018, https://www.factcheck.org/2018/05/illegal-immigrants-and-crime/.
“Public Housing and Immigrants.” U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, https://www.hud.gov.
“Medi-Cal Eligibility and Covered California.” California Department of Health Care Services, https://www.dhcs.ca.gov.
“Crime Data.” Los Angeles Police Department, https://www.lapdonline.org.
