Most children in these households are U.S.-born citizens. After welfare reform in 1996, California chose not to limit immigrants' eligibility to Medicaid and welfare. Even so, while newly approved cases for citizen-headed families held constant, they fell by half for immigrant families. Immigrants' confusion and fear about new laws and policies may account for the drop. In a national survey, employers say they value a positive attitude and reliability the most when hiring an entry-level employee, such as a welfare recipient and welfare recipients appear to fit the bill.
Employers Speak Out.