How is this possible?

[mandarinstudent]

I've discovered a weird situation and was wondering if anyone here has an explanation.

 

I'm a doctoral student who lives in graduate housing. In our graduate housing complex, nearly everyone is Chinese. My wife (who is Chinese) has befriended a few of our neighbors and has found out that practically everyone in our complex is having babies on the government's dime. Basically, the man comes on a work/student visa and the wife cannot work. They then have a baby (or babies) and apply for every government program available. They don't pay any medical expenses. They don't pay for food. They don't pay for anything, yet one couple has managed to save up to buy a new car with cash! How is this possible???? Non-citizens can qualify for government hand outs?

 

This really gets under our skin. We have to wait until near the time when I graduate to have a kid, as we can't afford to take care of a child on my PhD stipend and my wife's rather small salary. However, it seems like everyone in graduate housing is coming to the US, popping out 2 or 3 kids, and letting the government pick up the tab. They all proudly tell my wife, "Just have a kid now! Look at all this free stuff the government is giving us!" I'm a US citizen and I can't imagine using these kinds of programs unless I was in some sort of impossible situation (e.g., having 3 kids to feed with inoperable cancer that insurance won't cover), but people who come here to study can use US taxpayers' money to have babies? I'm really curious as to how these non-citizens are able to milk the government dry while here on a student visa. Apparently, it is a well known racket in the Chinese community.

 

Anyway, just wanted to vent a bit. Any thoughts?

Edited December 31, 2010 by mandarinstudent (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

If the child is born in the USA the child qualifies for assistance. The terms of the I-864 makes the sponsor responsible to repay any means tested benifit used by a green-card holder, however not for benefits for a US Citizen Child.

 

And yes we even have US Citizens milking these programs.

[Mick]

A well-known racket, indeed. I personally know six couples who have done the same thing, all relocating to New York City to do it. It just blows my mind, but they have found a way to work the system. It really got under my skin for awhile. When Li and I returned from living in China, needless to say we had very little in the way of resources. Four months after our return, Li became pregnant. We qualified for no kind of aid, even though we applied for it. I was mortified because at the same time, a Chinese couple we know also were expecting. They were both here undocumented, but went to New York and, viola, full ride all the way through, plus money for food and "daily necessities" for two years after. Meanwhile, I, a US citizen, had to sell two cars and other assets to pay for our daughter's birth expenses and health care. It is really galling but very true.

[dnoblett]

A well-known racket, indeed. I personally know six couples who have done the same thing, all relocating to New York City to do it. It just blows my mind, but they have found a way to work the system. It really got under my skin for awhile. When Li and I returned from living in China, needless to say we had very little in the way of resources. Four months after our return, Li became pregnant. We qualified for no kind of aid, even though we applied for it. I was mortified because at the same time, a Chinese couple we know also were expecting. They were both here undocumented, but went to New York and, viola, full ride all the way through, plus money for food and "daily necessities" for two years after. Meanwhile, I, a US citizen, had to sell two cars and other assets to pay for our daughter's birth expenses and health care. It is really galling but very true.

 

One reason I have been looking to move OUT of NY State, the taxes in NY are some of the highest in the nation because NY is a BIG Welfare state.

[mandarinstudent]

If the child is born in the USA the child qualifies for assistance. The terms of the I-864 makes the sponsor responsible to repay any means tested benifit used by a green-card holder, however not for benefits for a US Citizen Child.

 

And yes we even have US Citizens milking these programs.

 

 

I know that there are Americans milking these programs, and those people are just as leech-like. It just seems a bit more unfair that people from other countries can do this sort of thing while my wife and I have to wait to have a baby. I'm the one that has paid into the US tax system, yet I'm not leeching. Why should they get to given that they haven't contributed?

 

I know complaining won't do anything, but I was wondering if anyone else knew about the "graduate degree/baby" racket. I was so surprised!

[dnoblett]

A few things that would seriously reform welfare are:

 

 

• Having able bodied recipients work for the check, find things to do like sweep streets, shovel snow, clean the parks, etc...
• Those on welfare should not be able to vote just like ex-cons, why be able to vote for a pay check?? Get off welfare then can vote.
• Any additional child born while on welfare would get smaller checks. (1 child full, 2nd child half that of first, 3rd child 1/3 first etc..) Lets take the incentive out of reproducing.

 

[chilton747]

I know Chinese (Fujian) that actually own a restaurant (very popular) and are on gvt assistance. They are very good at watching their back.

[Mick]

I know Chinese (Fujian) that actually own a restaurant (very popular) and are on gvt assistance. They are very good at watching their back.

 

Ditto. The couple I mentioned in my earlier post owned a restaurant here, the only one in town (Chinese). Very profitable. Sold it, moved to New York City to have their baby. Now own restaurants (three) in Queens and Brooklyn. Still get government assistance......Incredible.

[amberjack1234]

Yep I have many able bodied relatives that know exactly how to milk the system. Actually I am a bit bitter about this as some of you know that I have posted about this before. I worked all of my life for my retirement annuity, which is not to bad, but have relatives that are very able bodied and have always been able bodied that make more on public assistance that I get in my retirement annuity.

 

My wife says you stoopid da man

 

Larry

Edited January 1, 2011 by amberjack1234 (see edit history)

[shenzhen]

It is possible because those who take responsibility in this country are marginalized.

[chilton747]

Yep I have many able bodied relatives that know exactly how to milk the system. Actually I am a bit bitter about this as some of you know that I have posted about this before. I worked all of my life for my retirement annuity, which is not to bad, but have relatives that are very able bodied and have always been able bodied that make more on public assistance that I get in my retirement annuity.

 

My wife says you stoopid da man

 

Larry

 

I can relate.

[Jeff n Jianli]

That's why several times after work, I told my husband "Your US has no hope". Working at Wal-Mart as a casher, in one year, I obviously feel more and more people are using food stamp & WIC. Do they really need food stamp, I'd say no. I saw a white woman paid with food stamp for purified water and pops only, in total 55.55 dollars. A woman with 5 kids picked up 6 pops from fridge, each 1.48 dollar, while on the shelf, 2 little bottle only cost 1 dollar. A mexian couple paid 311 dollars for food, wine, just a swing cost 109 dollars, and then a wic about 68 dollars for baby fomular. Do they need WIC, I believe NO!I even see both mother and daughter use food stamp. For several times I complainted to my husband the thing people buy with food stamp while we both work and can not offer, people with food stamp buy really nice toys for their kids while I can't buy for my daughter. One day my husband said "my biggest wish is that we can shop like people with food stamp". He is half joking though, it's also half true.

 

Being a Chinese, I know some chinese are cheating the program. It's not a problem with Chinese, it's with every race, black, white or Mexican. I am glad that both my husband and I agreed that no matter how hard our life is, we'll work hard by ourselves to raise our kids. To us, it's a shame to live on government. I don't know when people here can learn it's a shame to take advantage of it.

 

Jenny

 

 

[shenzhen]

That's why several times after work, I told my husband "Your US has no hope". Working at Wal-Mart as a casher, in one year, I obviously feel more and more people are using food stamp & WIC. Do they really need food stamp, I'd say no. I saw a white woman paid with food stamp for purified water and pops only, in total 55.55 dollars. A woman with 5 kids picked up 6 pops from fridge, each 1.48 dollar, while on the shelf, 2 little bottle only cost 1 dollar. A mexian couple paid 311 dollars for food, wine, just a swing cost 109 dollars, and then a wic about 68 dollars for baby fomular. Do they need WIC, I believe NO!I even see both mother and daughter use food stamp. For several times I complainted to my husband the thing people buy with food stamp while we both work and can not offer, people with food stamp buy really nice toys for their kids while I can't buy for my daughter. One day my husband said "my biggest wish is that we can shop like people with food stamp". He is half joking though, it's also half true.

 

Being a Chinese, I know some chinese are cheating the program. It's not a problem with Chinese, it's with every race, black, white or Mexican. I am glad that both my husband and I agreed that no matter how hard our life is, we'll work hard by ourselves to raise our kids. To us, it's a shame to live on government. I don't know when people here can learn it's a shame to take advantage of it.

 

Jenny

 

You are correct. The entitlement program is totally out of hand and everybody is cheating the system. When my wife first started to attend the local community college for ESL classes she was given advice by LPR, people here on visas, nauturalized US citizens and native born US citizens on how to "cheat" the system and get financial aid after she told them she did not think she would qualify because I make too much money.

 

To add insult to injury because we just moved to state from China we are not classified as state residents for tution purposes until after living here for 1 year even though I am working and pay state taxes. However if my wife was here on a visa instead of a Green Card she would be immediately eligible for in-state tution. So basically a working US citizen moving from out of state has to pay out of state tution for a year but a non-working/tax paying foreigner coming to US on a visa can attend college as an in-state student immediately. Not sure I follow the logic in that at all.