California has 140,000 two-parent families on welfare, 17.7 percent of the total caseload. That's far more than any other state, more than double the national average. Many are refugees or foreign-born citizens with language, literacy, culture and skills barriers. More than half do not use English as their primary language. Catholic Charities' Job Market is placing refugees and immigrants in full-time jobs in a few weeks to a few months, says program manager Liz Linton.
Pay is low.
However, Los Angeles County, where most of the state's two-parent welfare families live, can't match that record. Neither will counties with large numbers of Hmong refugees, who are very poorly prepared for 20th century jobs, not to mention the 21st century. The feds should waive the penalties and cut California some slack on this one. But compared to past performance, the progress is encouraging. Welfare rolls are shrinking.