JULY WELFARE COSTS FOR CHILDREN OF ILLEGAL ALIENS EXCEEDS $52 MILLION

 

 

          

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:  Tony Bell, Communications Deputy Office:     (213) 974-5555   Cell: (213) 215-5176 E-mail:     tbell@bos.lacounty.gov

         

   September 3, 2010                                                                                                     For Immediate Release

 

JULY WELFARE COSTS FOR CHILDREN OF ILLEGAL ALIENS EXCEEDS $52 MILLION DOLLARS

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich released figures from the Department of Public Social Services showing that in July 2010, $52 million in welfare benefits ($22 million CalWORKs + $30 million in Food Stamps) were issued to parents who reside in the United States illegally and collect benefits for their native-born children in Los Angeles County -- representing an increase of $3.7 million from July 2009.  This amounts to approximately 23% of all CalWORKs and Food Stamp issuances in the County. 

 

In 2009, CalWORKs and Food Stamp issuances to illegals totaled nearly $570 million.  Based on the monthly figures in 2010, the total cost for the year will exceed $600 million. 

 

“When you add this to $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 – not including the hundreds of millions of dollars for education,” said Antonovich. 

 

 

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