The Use of Transfer Payments by Immigrants

This paper uses data from the 1976 Survey of Income and Education to compare the receipt of transfers by families headed by male and female immigrants and those headed by native-born Americans. The average level of transfers is found to be considerably higher among families headed by immigrants, but this is almost entirely the result of the higher average age of family members among the immigrant group — a reflection of the large inflows of immigrants into the U.S. during the pre-1924 period. When age and other factors are held constant, immigrant families are found to be considerably less likely to rely on welfare than native families, and their receipts from social insurance programs are found to be only slightly higher.