Cato Director Says It’s ‘Totally False’ That Noncitizens Get Welfare at Double the Rate

On Tuesday, we reported on a dust-up between Twitchy favorite Oilfield Rando and the Cato Institute's Director of Immigration Studies, David J. Bier. Bier, who complained about the "ethnic cleansing fantasies" of Republicans like Sen. John Kennedy, argued that (illegal) immigrants actually reduce crime rates, so that you're less likely to be a crime victim. He backed his argument by saying that you were less likely to be murdered in New York City than in Saint Louis, because New York's population meant that there were many other people there to murder.

Bier (and Rando) are back, this time with Bier saying it's totally false that noncitizens get welfare at double the rate of citizens. Not the Bee kicked things off with this piece:

Study: Non-citizens get welfare at DOUBLE the rates of Americans. Check out the top immigrant groups living off your taxes.https://t.co/ajG3pk1FDF via @Not_the_Bee
— Mark Krikorian (@MarkSKrikorian) March 20, 2026

Harris Rigby reports for Not the Bee:

The Center for Immigration Studies has a very interesting study out that will make you think again about all of the "immigrants" who are "contributing" to the United States.
These results shouldn't be shocking, unless you're still surprised that we pay for the welfare of people who aren't even citizens.
…
9 out of 10 Afghans in the United States? You're paying them to be here. 8 out of 10 Dominicans, Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and Hondurans who are not citizens are benefitting from YOUR taxpayer money and welfare.

The study was conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies:

By country, non-citizen households with the highest welfare rates are:

Afghanistan - 87%
Dominican Rep. - 78%
Guatemala - 77%
El Salvador - 75%
Honduras - 75%
Ecuador - 70%
Mexico - 67%
Haiti - 65%
Cuba - 61%
Vietnam - 57%
Colombia - 55%
Venezuela - 51% https://t.co/I6evy1SvUe pic.twitter.com/lodxm36hHw
— Center for Immigration Studies (@CIS_org) March 18, 2026

Totally false. Noncitizens do not get welfare at double the rate as a percentage or in monetary amounts. They receive welfare at the same rate as the US-born population. Even the Trump admin concluded that in 2018. In money terms, they’re less costly. https://t.co/TXzvbjLQYj
— David J. Bier (@David_J_Bier) March 20, 2026

Our taxes are used to bring non-citizens here.

Our taxes are then used to buy all their things and get them citizenship.

Then when they’re a citizen, and still on welfare, Cato lackeys can throw them in the “US citizens receiving welfare” category. https://t.co/e6WSrlssEG
— Oilfield Rando (@Oilfield_Rando) March 21, 2026

They should get zero. American welfare is for Americans.
— Glonk_respecter (@1DirtyCivilian) March 21, 2026

They shouldn't get any welfare at all. That should be grounds for expulsion.
— Make a commie cry today. (@jmikesmyth) March 21, 2026

All these non citizens should be sent to invade Kharg Island. If they’re victorious, they get to stay. This is right and just.
— Nate The Great (@NateThomas1990) March 21, 2026

Bier brought his own charts as a rebuttal.

Why are you referencing 2018 data before the Biden surge and policy changes?
— Chris Kracht (@ckracht3) March 21, 2026

Hi there, subsentient Cato propagandist…..

These data are from 2018, which was before the Biden admin DROPPED TEN TO TWENTY MILLION MORE ILLEGALS INTO THE COUNTRY.

You and your pathetic organization are a cancer to the United States, full stop.
— Therock040404 (@the_rock040404) March 21, 2026

While I don’t believe it, for the sake of argument I’ll stipulate they get it at the same rate. so? That still means it’s spending on non-citizens that should go to citizens, n’est pas?
— YaakMan (@YaakMan508) March 21, 2026

Now throw in the NGO programs available only to them.
— hidewatchlaugh (@hidewatchlaugh) March 21, 2026

The welfare rate for “noncitizens” should be zero.
— 𝔻𝕠𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖 (@georg3) March 21, 2026

You are disgusting filth and belong in a camp.
— Diocletian (@diocletianmaxer) March 21, 2026

He's just doing his job, which is trying to prove that importing more illegal immigrants is better in every way, using old data.

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Editor’s Note: We voted for mass deportations, not mass amnesty. Help us continue to fight back against those trying to go against the will of the American people.

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