In analyzing new Census reports, the Center for Immigration Studies found that immigrant families with one or more children use welfare far more than “native” American families.

“Welfare use by illegal immigrant households is certainly a concern, but the bigger issue is welfare use by legal immigrants,” said Steven Camarota, the Center’s director of research and author of the report.

“Three-fourths of immigrant households using welfare are headed by legal immigrants. Legal immigration is supposed to benefit the country, yet so many legal immigrants are not able to support themselves or their children. This raises important questions about the selection criteria used for legal immigration,” said Camarota.

The report highlights the economics of immigration, especially illegal immigration, and comes as Syrian refugees are seeking to settle in European nations that provide rich welfare benefits.

The report also suggests that America is attracting poor and uneducated immigrants.

“Low levels of education — not legal status — are the main reason immigrant welfare use is high,” said the Center’s preview of their report, released Thursday.

It shows that legal immigrant households make extensive use of welfare, while illegal immigrant households primarily benefit from food programs and Medicaid through U.S.-born children.

According to the report, provided in advance to Secrets, “Households headed by legal immigrants have statistically significant higher use of welfare than native households overall, and for cash and food programs as well as Medicaid. This is the case a decade and a half after the 1996 welfare reform law, which was supposed to greatly limit immigrant access to the welfare system.”