Trump flags welfare usage among immigrants, names Pakistan and China but not India

US President Donald Trump on Sunday posted a chart on welfare usage among immigrant households in the United States, listing several countries of origin - including Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, and Bhutan - while India did not appear anywhere in the data.

The chart, titled Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin, was posted on Trump's Truth Social account. It presents the share of immigrant households from different countries that receive some form of public assistance in the US, based on country of birth.

Covering close to 120 countries and territories, the chart offers a side-by-side comparison of welfare participation across national groups. It does not specify the type of assistance received, nor the duration for which benefits were accessed.

India's absence from the list is notable given the size of the Indian-origin population in the US. The post comes amid Trump's continued focus on immigration, welfare dependency, and economic contribution, themes that have featured prominently in his recent messaging.

Among the countries named in the chart, Bangladesh shows the highest share of immigrant households receiving assistance, at 54.8%. Pakistan follows at 40.2%, while Nepal stands at 34.8%. China is listed at 32.9%, and Israel/Palestine at 25.9%.

The data also includes Ukraine, where 42.7% of immigrant households are shown as receiving assistance, as well as a broader grouping labelled “Asia (not elsewhere classified/not specified)” at 38.8%.

Income data paints a different picture for Indian Americans

Indian Americans are among the highest earners in the United States. According to the Pew Research Center, Indian Americans are the second-largest Asian-origin group in the country, accounting for roughly 21% of the total Asian population.

Pew's latest data shows that the median household income for Indian-headed households reached $151,200 in 2023, well above the $105,600 median recorded for Asian-headed households overall.

The figures also highlight differences within the community. Households led by Indian immigrants reported a higher median income than those headed by US-born Indians - $156,000 compared with $120,200.

At the individual level, Indian Americans aged 16 and above earned a median annual income of $85,300 in 2023, substantially higher than the $52,400 median for Asians overall, according to Pew.

(With inputs from PTI)