Wanda Brown Has Made a Very Important, But Possibly Incorrect, Discovery

Rep. Wanda Brown (R-Lincoln) blasted out the following screed late last night about how "illegal immigrants are receiving more welfare benefits than American citizens." 

Dear Colleagues,

Please read this email completely and in its entirety, because it has very important information about our state’s budget and our country’s budget.  I don’t normally send out emails like this, but I think everyone should know this is happening, so it can be stopped.

I have always received emails and calls from my constituents asking me, as a Representative, to look into welfare fraud and illegal immigration.  Upon doing some research, I discovered that illegal immigrants are receiving more welfare benefits than American citizens. Last Tuesday I called the Department of Social Services and asked, “Do illegal immigrants receive more food stamps than Americans?”

The initial answer I received was, “No, that isn’t happening.”

After further questioning of the Social Services contact, I asked her to show me the “Formula” that determined how many food stamps a family with NO illegal immigrants received versus the “Formula” that determined how many food stamps a family WITH illegal immigrants received.  After still being assured that there was no problem, I persisted in requesting this information.

Within a few hours, the Department of Social Services called my office and requested a meeting the next afternoon.

When they came to my office, Alyson Campbell, the Department Director for Family Services told me that families with illegal immigrants are “prorated.”  Well…doesn’t this sound like they are given less food stamps than Americans? Wrong! Get this: families with illegal immigrants receive more benefits than American families with no illegal immigrants. The citizens of our state and country are receiving a lesser amount if they don’t harbor illegal immigrants.

As an example:  if a family of four Americans, ie: Mom, Dad and two children receive $1200 per month income, they would receive a certain amount of food stamps. But if a family of four with the same income of $1200 and Mom is an illegal immigrant, the income is pro-rated, which means:  the $1200 is divided by the amount of people in the household, putting their income at $900 instead of $1200, and therefore, they are receiving MORE food stamps than a legal American family.

I am outraged! I’ve talked with our Budget office as well as Appropriations, and they’ve been very helpful.  This afternoon, I was still thinking about the appalling way my constituents have been treated, I started wondering if LEGAL IMMIGRANTS receive the same “extra” benefits that ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS do, and the answer is YES!!!!!

This isn’t only happening with the State of Missouri, but it could be happening in EVERY state in the nation!!!  Every immigrant that comes to this country LEGALLY along with immigrants that come to this country ILLEGALLY are more than likely receiving MORE welfare than Americans!!!

This has been going on since 1996!!!  Due to the "The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996" each state has the opportunity to adopt the policy on welfare programs within their Social Services Department.

I’ll give you one last thing to think about…

If there are 10 million illegal aliens in this country who receive an extra $50 dollars in food stamps, (and that is a very conservation figure), our country could be spending $500 million dollars a MONTH on this horrendous policy.

Now, that I’ve also discovered that LEGAL immigrants are receiving the same “extra” welfare, this could be in the Billions of dollars every year!!!!   I am receiving more in-depth information next week from the Dept of Social Services, and I will keep you posted on what I learn.

Our seniors, our veterans, our disabled and our education system have received many cuts in the last few years. How shameful that as we cut benefits to legitimate citizens who may need assistance, illegal immigrants have reaped the benefits of breaking the law.

The email with which Rep Brown distributed her urgent letter.

From: Wanda Brown <Wanda.Brown@house.mo.gov>
Date: February 3, 2012 9:11:14 PM CST
To: _House Members and Staff
Subject: A problem Missouri needs to resolve...Urgent...Please read!

Dear Missouri Representatives and Senators,

I would like you to read the attached letter with some very important information about our state policies.  With our current budget crisis, I would ask that all of you help me to remedy this situation.

Sincerely,

Wanda Brown
State Representative
District 116