Welfare for immigrant households drain on economy — and spirit

OPINION:

The latest Census Bureau numbers find that more than seven of 10 households headed by immigrants in California, and nearly the same amount in Texas, are on the taxpayer dole.

So much for the Democrat sheep who bleat that concerns of immigrant-tied drains on welfare are simply rooted in racism and hate.

Government facts and figures only show these concerns to be true.

According to the latest numbers from 2014, fully 63 percent of non-citizens are living off at least one welfare program. That translates into 4.68 million households.

And that means President Donald Trump, along with conservatives who’ve been warning for years about the entitlement nature of many of the immigrants who’ve come to America in recent times, are quite right: Open borders, non-selective border policies, progressive-minded red-carpet rollouts to any foreigner with an economic struggle — these are costly problems for U.S. taxpayers.

“Concern over immigrant welfare use is justified, as households headed by non-citizens’ use means means-tested welfare at high rates,” said the Center for Immigration Studies, in its report on the numbers. “Non-citizens in the data include illegal immigrants, long-term temporary visitors like guest workers, and permanent residents who have not naturalized.”

What’s most troublesome about the Census findings is the fact that the 63 percent of non-citizens on welfare actually grows to 70 percent for those who stay in-country 10 years or longer — meaning the entitlement mind only solidifies.

Meaning non-citizens on welfare don’t tend to get off welfare.

Meaning: The particular brand of people coming to this country aren’t actually providing any benefit for the good of this country, but rather reaping, reaping and only reaping what others have sown.

This is simply unsustainable.

A country that provides handouts without demanding anything in return is on a crash course for economic failure.

There comes a time when the system becomes overwhelmed and cannot pay.

But what’s worse about this Census showing is the message it sends about the state of our national identity, our DNA, our soul and spirit and great founding ideals.

America used to demand great things of its immigrants — and immigrants, coming to America, used to dream of accomplishing great things. Nowadays?

We’re the country of handouts, apparently. Give us your tired, your poor — and we’ll give them welfare for life. Sadly, the tired and poor are only too willing to take it, too.

This isn’t just a problem of economics for America. This is a sickness of America’s spirit. Time to turn the crush around and bring back the bootstraps. Time for those coming here to pull themselves up and pay their own ways — to treat this country as the golden gift of free-market entrepreneurship and freedom it truly is.

After all, America was forged on a can-do attitude in the face of can’t-do naysayers — on the sheer determination of freedom-seeking individuals who took on the biggest forces in the universe. The very least those coming here today can do is get jobs and get off welfare.

• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.