Information shared by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform detailing “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin” has reignited discussions regarding the involvement of immigrant households in welfare programs across the United States. This scrutiny particularly includes data regarding immigrants from Fiji.
The graphic presented by Trump reveals the estimated percentage of immigrant households receiving various forms of U.S. public assistance, encompassing food aid, healthcare support, income supplements, and other governmental aid programs. According to the data, approximately 40.8 percent of households led by immigrants from Fiji are beneficiaries of such assistance.
This statistic positions Fiji firmly in the middle range relative to other countries worldwide. For comparison, the chart notes that Bhutan has the highest rate at 81.4 percent, whereas Bermuda sits at the lower end with 25.5 percent. Notably, within the Pacific region, Fiji’s rate is lower than several neighboring island nations highlighted in the chart. For instance, the Marshall Islands show a significant welfare participation rate of 71.4 percent, followed by Samoa at 63.4 percent, Micronesia at 58.1 percent, and Tonga at 54.4 percent. American Samoa is also reported at a slightly higher rate than Fiji, at 42.9 percent.
This comparative analysis indicates that Fiji ranks as one of the lower Pacific Island nations concerning welfare participation, even though it surpasses many nations in Europe, East Asia, and South America noted in the same chart. The discussion prompted by these figures emphasizes the complexity surrounding immigrant welfare use and the varying degrees of assistance among different nationalities. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing dialogue about immigration and social support systems in America, highlighting the diverse experiences of immigrant families.