THE UNAUTHORIZED MEXICAN IMMIGRANT POPULATION AND WELFARE IN LOS-ANGELES-COUNTY - A COMPARATIVE STATISTICAL-ANALYSIS

Using a unique 1994 Los Angeles County Household Survey of foreign-bor n Mexicans and the March 1994 and 1995 Current Population Surveys, we estimate the number of unauthorized Mexican immigrants (UMIs) residing in Los Angeles County, and compare their use of seven welfare program s with that of other non-U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens. Non-U.S. cit izens were found to be no more likely than U.S. citizens to have used welfare, and UMIs were 11% (14%) less likely than other nan-citizens ( U.S.-born citizens). While these findings are not surprising given the institutional and legal obstacles UMIs face, they are in light of rec ent restrictive immigration and welfare policy changes. They also dire ctly contradict public perceptions that UMIs use an undeserved shave o f public assistance. Lastly, we demonstrate how results differ dependi ng on the unit of analysis employed, and on which programs constitute ''welfare.''