LOS ANGELES COUNTY—The Department of Public Social Services issued nearly $639 million in welfare and food stamp benefits to illegal immigrant parents for their native-born children in 2013 – and $304 million so far in the first six months of 2014, according to an announcement by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.
The more than $300 million spent this year consisted of nearly $112 million in CalWORKs (welfare) and $192 million in CalFresh (food stamps). See graph below.
At this pace, the total cost for the year will again exceed $600 million, Antonovich stated.
He noted that more than 20% of the County’s public welfare funds are spent on illegal immigrants; plus, taxpayers spend more than $550 million on public safety, $500 million on healthcare, and hundreds of millions on education to support illegal immigrants in Los Angeles County.
“Illegal immigration continues to cost County taxpayers nearly $2 billion dollars a year and siphons resources away from vital municipal services for legal immigrants and county residents,” said Antonovich.
The county supervisor also criticized Gov. Jerry Brown for fast-tracking $3 million to provide legal representation to unaccompanied minors who illegally cross the border.
“Any and all costs associated with Illegal immigration are a federal responsibility,” said Antonovich. “The state has already failed to reimburse local jurisdictions for unfunded mandates. The legislature should be pressing our federal representatives to reimburse for all costs associated with their failed immigration laws. This reckless policy is a flagrant abuse of state funds – especially when you consider the unmet needs of our own foster children and emancipated youth.”
[Information via press release from Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.]
Rt says
I’m soon to be divorced from an illegal alien woman from Mexico who collects a tidy sum from LA County. I saw paperwork earlier this year that stated she was getting $2,890.00 a month for our Son and two of her Sons by a previous marriage. Unfortunately, they were reducing her “Benefits Package” to around $2,400 as one of her Sons just turned 18. This is happening all over LA Co. CA. I would say that this is happening hundreds of thousands of times a month, around LA Co.
I know hard working poeple that make less than that. I make about the same and work really hard to get it.
I am battling her for Child Support issues right now, for our Son, and even though she has agreed to accept the terms of Mediation in Orange County (for custody 50-50), including, Stipulation and Order to accept a predetermined amount of child support from me, she has opened a case in Los Angeles Co. with Child Support Services to “hedge her bet” and make sure that she always gets the money.
Imagine the greed that goes on with these illegal alien people! The intitlement attitude that they get from LA Co. gets passed on to their children and no wonder LA Co. can’t fix the holes in the roads.
If I was only here illegally…..
Al says
I understand your anger, but please don’t make spelling errors, thus makes you appear very unintelligent and makes your “ex” wife to be much more brilliant than you in her attempts to cheat the system. (entitlement not intitlement) And what makes you think you can isolate a group of people by referring to them as “Illegal alien people”? If you consider yourself a citizen of the United States only because of the fact that you were born in this country or perhaps because you have earned your citizenship, then you are completely wrong sir. Those are very discriminating comments and if I was her, I would file a lawsuit against you just for referring to her as that. Be an example to your son. Good day sir.
J says
Al, spelling errors have nothing to do with intelligence. However, if you are going to call out people on their intelligence, then I think it only fair to call you out on your grammatical error. “If I was her” should be “If I were her.”
Why shouldn’t her husband call her an illegal alien? She is not a legal alien.
ThatOneChick says
Doesn’t the fact that you were married to her help her become a citizen???
Taz says
The illegal aliens have played a major role in destroying this state and this country. 95% of our problems are caused by the liberal, Democrat party. These illegals are raping us financially. They take and use our medical hospitals, our police departments, our fire departments, our court system, our schools, etc. All forms have to print both English and Spanish. So, where are our liberal environmentalists on this issue?! Illegals cause more trees to be destroyed by having to print forms in Spanish. And California is in the middle of a huge draught. We have no water now. Just think of all the water that these illegals slurp down their gullets daily. With this wasted water, we would have so much extra water right now. I really believe that we, true Californians, need to toss each and everyone of these illegals out, and as fast as we can. We should pay Police Officers extra money for each illegal they can catch. It wouldn’t take long before we cleaned up this state again. Would it not be nice to go places and only hear English being spoken? No more of this… “No… Me Speaky-Spany”. And no more their terrible latin music being blasted out of their crapy cars, which all have expired registration tabs on their plates. So, who is with me? I am thinking about running for Major here in Lancaster. Do I have any early supporters?
AVHC says
If I made $200k per year I would still try and get food stamps. I never used to feel this way, but I have realized that the U.S. is a collapsing society that coddles the political/business elite no matter how much harm they cause. Take a look at the economy and the job market and our wars of choice-all problems caused by this class of privileged society leeches-the real leeches. I say game the system as much as possible and get all you can because we are all getting gamed by them.
Doug says
The problem we have these days in lack of JOBS. Any of you that have a job have to feel real lucky these days to simply have a job. I suspect there are some lazy people out there, (there has always been) and maybe there should not be so much assistance available, but until we rebuild our job market, which includes getting back manufacturing jobs it would not be humane to not offer some assistance.
Lazzy! says
How many lazzy Americans are on welfare! I see them all the time buying fast food or cashing out there food stamps! JUST REMEMBER! NATIVE AMERICANS ARE TRUE AMERICANS! WERE ALL IMMIGRANTS! SOCIAL SERVICES HAS LOTS OF IMMIGRANTS WORKING THERE!
Bob says
Even the Native Americans immigrated here.
carl says
my family was at the shot heard round the world.when we bought that’s right bought the American southwest their was nothing most spanish speakers lived way way south.Americans built this area a once great place to live and raise a family now laraza and other HATE groups want it back.in a few more years all good work will be gone and a third world will exist. THANK YOU for sharing your ignorance BOB
Db says
I think the amount of money being spent on “illegals” and “legals” makes me equally sick! This problem has existed just as long and longer than Antonovich has been in office…all I see every year are little reports like this one showcasing the amount of hard-working, tax-paying, American-citizen’s money being spent on individuals who have chosen to use and abuse the program and pass it down for generations to come in their families. What I would like to really know is when my elected representatives are going to get together and actually DO SOMETHING about it!?
Tom says
Follow the Bouncing Ball.Get the money out of the tax payers hands. What can you do with food stamps 24/7 go Walmart … If you think Antonovich and others are not payed off by the big food lobbyist your crazy.The walmart shopper are so fat and over fed many of the can’t walk the store they have to drive the electric carts around..
Lancaster commuter says
This article is Bias. How about the billions immigrants contribute?
Bob says
Contribute HOW? How about how they have destroyed the blue and brown collar middle class? 35 years ago, a person with average skills could make twenty dollars an hour in construction doing drywall, framing and other similar low education, but semi skilled NON-UNION jobs. Now a person would be lucky to get 12 an hour doing the same. 40 years ago my neighbors lawn was mowed by a professional, that had expensive equipment and actually sent his kids through college (and they helped in the summer), now the field has been taken over by illiterates pushing cast-off K-Mart specials who barely know the difference between a blade of grass and a weed (but it’s okay, a mower takes them both down….. till the weeds choke out the grass). Maybe we can talk about how they contribute to the high drop out rate of LAUSD?
Sonia says
The destruction of the middle class is a result of capitalism…specifically CORPORATE WELFARE (basic Sociology). Every generation has it’s own societal scapegoats. Undocumented immigrants are this generations scapegoat. Go back in time and american society as a whole has blamed another group of people for their own pathetic demise (basic American History). If we really live in a society that BLAMES OTHERS (like another group of people) instead of making a change in THEIR OWN fate…you have just gotten sucked into the entitled population and victim mentality. People (undocumented) are working!!! Hallelujah!! They are contributing to local, state, and federal taxes that they WILL NEVER be able to tap into. How does this work, you may say!? Many, many businesses hire undocumented workers and take out the required taxes for each entity. And because they are undocumented, they are under the shadows and cannot gain any state and/or federal benefits (disability, unemployment, social security, etc.) because they are an “invisible” group. Everything that you stated is about your own individual world and experience…wow! Representative of a larger federal issue; hmmmm. The answer is, go back to school/retrain in another field, get a better job and you will not feel the pinch of undocumented immigrants.
pirruris says
Sonia, you hit the nail on the head. Everyone here fails to mention the millions of owe back taxes that are owed to the undocumented human beigns, every year, because thean’t claim their taxes.
evette says
LOVE IT!!
Mr. Mister says
Ever hear of Sales Tax? They are contributing to the economy. Also, every ‘illiterate landscaper’ you speak of, I often see them working with self-propelled Honda mowers, straight-shaft weed wackers, action hoes, backpack blowers, and rototillers. So should they be using a John Deere to take care of a tract home yard? Lastly, guess who’s paying them to do it cheaper? Citizens. The hard-working, tax-paying American, is the one choosing to save his coin. Work is not being stolen, it is being given. Lastly I believe the drop-out rate is due to negligent parenting by both Americans and illegals. Often too many parents are so wrapped up in their own lives that they choose to not take a more prominent position in their children’s lives. This includes, the working American, the lazy American, as well as the illegal immigrant. Check enrollment numbers, the citizen student percentage still outweighs the immigrant student.
pirruris says
Contribute how? How about Antonovich disclosing how much money is generated by setting up check BS check points to impound the vehicles of the undocumented huma beings. 70% of the population is latino, but yet we let racist republicans represrnt us. WAKE UP LATINOS. LETS VOTE THESE RACIST OUT OFFICE AND GIVE OBAMA DEMOCRAT CONGRESS.
pirruris says
Pirruris, can someone explain, how exactly are the undocumented human beings getting welfare when they are not legal here? So are you saying that the government is now giving assistance to people that don’t have proper documentation? Any of you racist republicans please answer this.
pirruris says
Bob, ask the sherriffs department how much money is generated every year judt by impounding the vehicles of the undocumented human beings. Here you are bitching about jobs, when the fact of the matter is, the best jobs are still being held by the whites here in the Antelope Valley. DON’T BELIEVE ME? GO STAND AT THE ENTRANCE GATES OF EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, PLANT 42, ONE MORNING AND TELL ME HOW , ANYMINORITIES GO THROUGH THE GATE. HELL, GO TO THE CITY OF PSLMDALE AND TAKE COUNTHOW , ANY WHITES, COMPARE TO MINORITIES WORK FOR THE CITY. STOP YOUR CRY SACKING BECAUSE ALL YOU ARE GOING TO DO IS OPEN A CAN OF WORMS.
Db says
All the numbers on the chart are CRAZY to begin with…the amount of money being stolen from the hard-working taxpayer who also happens to be a legalized American Citizen is beyond my comprehension!…I have to ask what is being done to cap these numbers and the over-abundance of fraud taking place from not just “illegals” but “legals” as well!? As taxpayers we see are earnings go down as our taxes keep rising and all for the benefit of most who chose not to change their lives but instead make it a choice to live off of the hard work of others…so why should we keep working for others just to be handed everything to them for NOTHING!? I only have one question…What have you done lately to control this outrageous spending, Mr. Antonovich?
COREY SMITHSONIAN says
EVERYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY IS AN IMMIGRANT UNLESS YOU ARE NATIVE AMERICAN.!
Eric says
Immigrant is not the key word. Illegal is.
COREY SMITHSONIAN says
UNLESS YOU ARE A NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN YOU ARE HERE ILLEGAL TOO JUST LIKE CCHRISTOPHER COLOMBUS.! MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE DEPORTED BACK TO IRELAND OR WHEREVER YOUR FAMILY ROOTS COMES FROM.
b says
Corey- good “red herring” to take the issue where it is not – citizens are required to have insurance at a cost higher than before obama – but, non-citizens (illegal) do not pay at all. The AV hospital is the highest in non paid visits because of illegals cannot be turned away- but citizens can be – this is only one reason for the outrage.
bast says
Agreed. No other nation Imposes such fiscally irresponsible illegal immagration policy upon citizens. But those republicans like lots of poor desperate populations to work for next to nothing.
Hence the party’s efforts to open the floodgates at our borders while they simultaneously thwart any and all efforts that may slow reproduction rates via family planning services.
Keep the prisons full, wages low and profits high, no matter what.
bob says
Well Corey, that may well be true BUT….. those immigrants did NOT have government social services to fall back on. They either made it on their own with the help of their own people or they failed, starved, died of disease or sometimes they even went back. They did not get food stamps, section eight housing, free medical care from the government. They also learned to speak English, they set up “social clubs” in their own communities to help each other integrate into the country. They would have been embarrassed if gram-ma still spoke the language of the “old country” at home.
Eric says
My family immigrated, a long time ago, legally. Since that point, we’ve paid our taxes, served our country, and had multiple children born here (which grants legal status). Within borders, set and monitored by law, I am a citizen. Not here illegally. How many 4th-5th generation families are still getting called illegal and deported? Uh, none.
Pass a citizenship test, obey the laws, and you get to stay. Hopping a fence, crossing a river, or paying some druglord to smuggle you is not a citizenship test.
G says
It may not be. My parents both came illegally and worked hard when they arrived as teenagers. They became legal citizens before they had children and still continue to work hard and pay taxes and we have done the same. They have contributed just as much as any person who came here legally and as much or more than some who are born here.
evette says
That’s the key word ILLEGAL
pirruris says
Evette, thanks to the undocumented human beings, many people eat in this country.
Sherry says
what people don’t what people don’t understand about illegal if your illegal you shouldn’t be here you come here sneak over the border have kids and then you’ve got it made we are so many starving children let’s take care
pirriris says
Sherry, go change your white sheets that are missing from your bedroom.
anotherdummy says
No, that is a fallacy… A very old and tired fallacy at that. While some of my ancestors might have been immigrants, I am not. I was born here. Immigrants move to foreign countries from their countries of origin.
Bob says
Good to see they used the word “illegals”. Deport!
Anna says
How is this ok? Why isn’t there an out pouring of outrage from tax payers? Stop the money, send them back! This money should be going for our kids and Veterans who gave all so Americans can sit back and collect their “Check” every month. Maybe if Cal Works/Welfare cut those checks down there would be an out cry….we all have to pay to support these intruders…not just the tax payers.
KEVIN LAHDER says
THE REASON THERE IS NO OUTRAGE IS BECAUSE 75% OF THE AV IS ON WELFARE
evette says
There would be or make them actually work or volunteer. In California we also give out GR whicj is general relief. Haha BS you give money to able bodied citizens who can get out and work. But only in California do we tell illegals if you can jump through over and around to get her we will take care of you. No we have kids that are in foster care homeless veterans and children and they get nothing or crumbs. Not fair at all send them back we have to get a grip on things they are getting out of control.
pirruris says
Evette, please stop being a hipocrite, here you are acting like you really care about vetetans and foster kids, but keep voting for the republicans that are working hard to cut these programs.