I think it has been worked out. There might be some questions in ome Senators minds about the way it has been done. but I will be very happy to describe what has been worked out for the guidance and reaction of the floor managers of the bill. The law. however. also permits a new immigrant to apply for and receive supplemental security income (SSI) benefits 30 days after arrival in the country. To round out the loophole. the courts have ruled that the sponsors promise to support the immigrant is nothing but a "moral obligation." As a result. responsibility for financial support of the immigrant is shifted from the immigrant and his sponsor to the taxpayers. In effect. the immigrant gets a gift from the Governmentan instant pension. The GAO determined that during 1977. in five States alonethose with the largest number of aliens--about 37.500 newly arrived aliens received close to $72 million in SSI benefits. About $16 million of this amount was paid to refugees. The GAO further found that of the total alien population receiving SSI an estimated 63 percent had enrolled in the program during their first year of residency in this country.- All told. 96 percent of those aliens receiving SSI had resided in the United States for 3 years or less at the time they first began receiving benefits. In numerous cases. sponsors who have reneged on their promises of support had the full financial capability to support the newly arrived alien but instead chose to take advantage of the loophole.
Keywords matched
immigrant refugees