Supplemental Security Income

Noncitizen Caseload Continues to Grow Gao ID: T-HEHS-96-149 May 23, 1996

Noncitizens are one of the fastest growing groups of recipients of supplemental security income (SSI) benefits. They represent nearly one-third of aged SSI recipients and about six percent of disabled recipients. Although the growth rate for noncitizen caseloads has slowed, it is still higher than that for citizens, and the proportion of noncitizens relative to other SSI recipients continues to rise. About two-thirds of noncitizens recipients--roughly 520,000--live in three states: California, New York, and Florida. On the whole, noncitizens are more likely to receive SSI than are citizens, but this may be primarily true for refugees and asylees. Adult children of aged immigrants and others who say they are willing to financially support them sometimes do not. Eventually, some of these older immigrants receive SSI. Also, some translators have helped noncitizens to fraudulently obtain SSI disability benefits.



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