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Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Do millions of undocumented immigrants get public benefits and vote illegally in the US?

By Marlo Lee
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NO

There are very few undocumented immigrants voting illegally: "maybe one every few years," one expert said. In recent years, some cities have begun allowing undocumented immigrants to vote in local elections.

Undocumented immigrants are prohibited from receiving almost all types of public benefits, including Medicaid, unemployment, and food stamps in most cases. However, they can receive emergency Medicaid in narrow cases as well as nutritional supplements for women, infants, and children through the WIC program.

Despite their undocumented status, undocumented immigrants still pay taxes, such as payroll taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, and property taxes.

The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is estimated at around 11 million.

See a full discussion of this at Lead Stories
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Pew Research Key facts about the changing U.S. unauthorized immigrant population
Pew Noncitizens Are Slowly Gaining Voting Rights
Justia Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982)
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.