Supplemental Security Income

Noncitizens Have Been a Major Source of Caseload Growth Gao ID: T-HEHS-96-88 February 6, 1996

Noncitizens are among the fastest growing groups receiving benefits from the Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI), which provides means-tested benefits to eligible blind, elderly, or disabled persons. Noncitizens represent nearly one-third of aged SSI recipients and 5.5 percent of disabled recipients. About two-thirds of noncitizen SSI recipients live in three states--California, New York, and Florida. On the whole, noncitizens are more likely to receive SSI than citizens, but this may be true primarily for refugees and asylum seekers. Adult children of aged immigrants and others who say they are willing to financially support them sometimes do not. Eventually, many of these aged immigrants receive SSI. Also, some translators help noncitizens to fraudulently obtain SSI disability benefits.



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