Fact-checking claim about immigrants, eligibility for assistance programs

"Monday, tax season starts…" the Jan. 23 post said. "So, please be mindful to file your taxes timely. Remember, 4.3 million of ILLEGALS are counting on you! We need to make sure they receive: Free housing, free medical, free state identification, free college, free daycare, free social security, free EBT cards, free month (sic) checks."

It continued: "If this doesn’t piss you off as a taxpayer and an American citizen? Then I don’t know what to tell you. All these things AREN’T government funded. IT (sic) FUNDED BY YOU! THE TAXPAYERS!"

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

Overall, we found that immigrants in the country illegally are ineligible to receive most of the benefits mentioned in the post. They are eligible for emergency medical care, and some women and children may qualify for food assistance.

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents aren’t the only ones covering the costs of those programs, either. Some immigrants living in the country illegally pay taxes. Estimates vary, but research indicates that immigrants in the country illegally pay billions in federal, state and local taxes each year.

Generally, immigrants illegally in the country are ineligible to receive benefits from most federal programs. But they may be eligible for assistance deemed necessary to protect life or guarantee safety in dire situations, such as access to treatment in hospital emergency rooms and to health care and nutrition programs.

Let’s take a closer look at their eligibility for the specific benefits mentioned in the post. Our findings come from a variety of sources, including the National Immigration Forum, the National Immigrant Law Center and federal agencies.

• "Free housing."Typicallyineligible for federal Department of Housing and Urban Development housing programs. To qualify for public housing or HUD-subsidized housing, a person "must be a U.S. citizen or a non-citizen with an eligible immigration status," an agency spokesperson said. An immigrant who was a trafficking victim is an example of someone with an eligible immigration status who may qualify for a housing program. (A 2000 law made victims of trafficking eligible for benefits and services under any federal or state program.)
• "Free medical."Eligible for emergency Medicaid, if they are eligible for their state’s Medicaid program. Medicaid will cover the treatment of an emergency medical condition, including labor and delivery.
• "Free state identification." It is unclear if any states specifically allow immigrants living in the country illegally to get state IDs for free. Some states waive ID fees for certain groups of people, including seniors and people with low income. Some states allow immigrants living in the U.S. illegally to obtain driver’s licenses.
• "Free college." We found no evidence of free college specifically for this group. Washington D.C. and 17 states offer in-state tuition to immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, and some offer state financial aid.

"Free daycare." Ineligible in most cases. Victims of trafficking who are in the U.S. illegally may qualify for benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. In some cases, funds from that program can be used to pay for childcare.