If you watched or listened to the second Republican Primary debate recently, you know there was a lot of talk about immigration. It can be hard to know what to think when all we hear are sound bytes or talking points. We wanted to share a few of our resources that may answer some questions you have.
First up: Is there a link between asylum seekers and the fentanyl problem in the U.S.?
Fentanyl overdoses are tragic. Full stop. We all want to solve this problem, but asylum seekers are not to blame. Nearly 99% of U.S. fentanyl consumers are U.S. citizens. This consumption funds fentanyl smuggling. 86.3% of convicted fentanyl drug traffickers in 2021 were U.S. Citizens. More than 90% of fentanyl seizures are at legal crossing points or U.S. vehicle checkpoints. In other words, irregular immigration routes are not where fentanyl is being found. 0.02% of the people Border Patrol apprehended crossing the border illegally possessed any fentanyl whatsoever. (Source: Cato Institute)
We get this question a lot: What benefits do immigrants and refugees qualify for?
Undocumented immigrants cannot receive most federal means-tested public benefits such as SNAP (food stamps), regular Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income.
A few states provide some support for undocumented immigrants such as access to health insurance programs for children, but most do not. Even most lawful immigrants generally cannot receive federal benefits until they have permanent resident status, which takes at least five years to achieve.
Have more questions? Not sure where to start?
Check out our Commonly Asked Questions.
Right here on the Women of Welcome stories, we are digging deeper into misconceptions and misinformation.
Here is a story that dives into some of these issues. This post gets past myth-busting into the real heart of the issue: people made in the image of God, who are deserving of dignity and respect.
Let’s have the conversation you’ve always wanted to have about immigration.