Welfare Reform: Public Assistance Benefits Provided to Recently Naturalized Citizens

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the: (1) number of recently naturalized citizens receiving benefits from four major public assistance programs (Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Food Stamps) compared with that of the native-born population in 1997; and (2) estimated annual cost to the federal and state governments of providing such benefits to these naturalized citizens.