• According to 2003 USCIS (formerly INS) estimates, approximately 7 million undocumented immigrants were residing in the United States in January of 2000, with an estimated 350,000 added each year.
• Annual entry of illegal immigrants amounts to 1/10 of 1% of the total U.S. population and roughly 13% of the foreign-born population.
• Most undocumented immigrants do not come the U.S. by crossing a border illegally. Six out of ten enter the U.S. legally with student, tourist, or business visas and become ‘illegal’ when they stay in the U.S. after their visas expire.
• Approximately 80% of the undocumented immigrants in the U.S. come from six countries: Mexico (69%), El Salvador (3%), Guatemala (2%), Colombia (2%), Honduras (2%), and China (1.6%).

Eligibility for Federal Benefits by Undocumented Immigrants

 Illegal/undocumented immigrants are not eligible for most federal benefit programs, including: Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, financial assistance for higher education, and the Job Training Partnership Act.

Illegal/undocumented immigrants may participate in certain benefit programs that do not require legal immigration status as a condition of eligibility, such as:

• Head Start
• The Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• The National School Lunch program
• Immunizations and treatment of communicable diseases

In addition, they may be eligible for emergency medical services. Illegal/undocumented immigrants may apply for TANF and food stamps for their children if they are U.S citizens, but there are risks in doing so, as the 1996 Welfare Bill requires that State agencies report identifying information on any individuals unlawfully in the United States.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, www.uscis.gov , 2004. U.S. General Accounting Office Report: Illegal Aliens, July 1995.