---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Immigrants contribute more than they…"
description: "\"Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie that they take public benefits, because they don't qualify for just about every benefit.\" — Pram..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg"
---

#  Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie…

![“Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie that they take public benefits, because they don't qualify for just about every benefit.” quote by Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg)

> “Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie that they take public benefits, because they don't qualify for just about every benefit.”

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Immigrants contribute positively and are often unfairly blamed for taking benefits

**In simple terms:** Immigrants add more than they take

Key Takeaway

Support fair immigration policies

Themes

immigration contribution misconception

Mood

advocacy empathetic

Type

political informative

When to use this quote

- policy debate
- community outreach

Key Concepts

social justice economics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we change the narrative?
- What evidence supports their contributions?

A Different Perspective

May ignore individual cases

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Contribute Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribute-lie-2790935/) [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [Immigrants Contribute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants-contribute-611353/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie/) [Lie Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-public-623893/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Public Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-benefits-1392618/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/)

## Related quotes

> [As legal residents, immigrants would contribute more in taxes, spend more at our businesses, start companies of their own and create more jobs. Immigration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-legal-residents-immigrants-would-contribute-more-in-taxes-spend/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In the longer term, immigrants contribute more to the government's coffers than they receive in social spending. Moreover, these programs are not just welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lowrey/in-the-longer-term-immigrants-contribute-more-to-the-government-s/)

[Annie Lowrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lowrey/)

> [Discrimination in public benefits is also perfectly legal. Under federal law, people convicted of drug felonies are deemed ineligible even for food stamps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/discrimination-in-public-benefits-is-also-perfectly-legal-under/)

[Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/)

> [The responsible use of earmarks can have public benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/the-responsible-use-of-earmarks-can-have-public-benefits/)

[Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/)

> [How much nonsense and lies you gonna get away with this guy before he really does do something with your people? You've gotta be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/how-much-nonsense-and-lies-you-gonna-get-away-with-this-guy-before-he/)

[John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/)

> [No doubt, corporate CEOs who lie to their shareholders and politicians who lie to their public know and believe intellectually that lying is immoral.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/no-doubt-corporate-ceos-who-lie-to-their-shareholders-and-politicians/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [That it is not the people who really feel that way, but it is people who have the most money to fire up these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/that-it-is-not-the-people-who-really-feel-that-way-but-it-is-people/)

[Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/)

> [“The collective benefits of higher education will not be asserted unless the public can be engaged in defining them. A student’s future returns on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-condliffe-lagemann/the-collective-benefits-of-higher-education-will-not-be-asserted/)

[Ellen Condliffe Lagemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-condliffe-lagemann/)

> [Immigrants not only contribute to Houston's sociocultural fabric, including through their language, cuisine, faith, and customs, but are also an exceedingly important engine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/immigrants-not-only-contribute-to-houston-s-sociocultural-fabric/)

[Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/)

> [“DOES EVERYONE IN AND NO ONE OUT INCLUDE ALL IMMIGRANTS? Immigrants contribute tens of billions of dollars to our economy, and the sustainability of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cay-johnston/does-everyone-in-and-no-one-out-include-all-immigrants-immigrants/)

[David Cay Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cay-johnston/)

> [In states like California alone, the vast majority of undocumented immigrants contribute a great deal to society and the health of the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-kasparian/in-states-like-california-alone-the-vast-majority-of-undocumented/)

[Ana Kasparian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-kasparian/)

> [As Congress continues to debate ways to address illegal immigration, we must remember the many hard-working legal immigrants that contribute so much to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-filner/as-congress-continues-to-debate-ways-to-address-illegal-immigration/)

[Bob Filner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-filner/)

> [Immigrants, who contribute greatly to our economy as law-abiding taxpayers, deserve to have their rights protected and their voices heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/immigrants-who-contribute-greatly-to-our-economy-as-law-abiding/)

[Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/)

> [The vast majority of immigrants - regardless of the conditions of war and poverty that may wrack their home countries - come and contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/the-vast-majority-of-immigrants-regardless-of-the-conditions-of-war/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

## More by Pramila Jayapal

> [The fact that the immigration issue was the first thing Trump took aim at was a good thing for me, because it's what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/the-fact-that-the-immigration-issue-was-the-first-thing-trump-took/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [Some people have called me the anti-Trump, and I'm so proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/some-people-have-called-me-the-anti-trump-and-i-m-so-proud/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [We don't get a more responsive government unless we start to systematically run organizing campaigns to change the way government works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/we-don-t-get-a-more-responsive-government-unless-we-start-to/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [I would attend a State of the Union by a president with whom I disagree if I felt she or he was otherwise respectful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-would-attend-a-state-of-the-union-by-a-president-with-whom-i/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [I've always believed that immigration is really about who we are as a country and what we're willing to stand up for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-ve-always-believed-that-immigration-is-really-about-who-we-are-as-a/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [Individuals whose asylum claims have been accepted have gone on to become professors, soldiers in our military, artists, and more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/individuals-whose-asylum-claims-have-been-accepted-have-gone-on-to/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [I feel like young people, more than anyone in the country, always have their moral compass on perfectly straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-feel-like-young-people-more-than-anyone-in-the-country-always-have/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [Trump has hated Amazon for a long time, and I think that that came out in many interviews that he's done with 'Vanity Fair'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/trump-has-hated-amazon-for-a-long-time-and-i-think-that-that-came-out/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [I am on the side of the working person across the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-am-on-the-side-of-the-working-person-across-the-country/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [It took me 17 years to become a U.S. citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/it-took-me-17-years-to-become-a-u-s-citizen/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [When I was a little girl, my dad always said to me that I was going to be this great businesswoman, that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/when-i-was-a-little-girl-my-dad-always-said-to-me-that-i-was-going-to/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [When women are told that sexual harassment is 'part of the job' or when assistants of both sexes enable harassing behavior, they have bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/when-women-are-told-that-sexual-harassment-is-part-of-the-job-or-when/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [I'm not a complainer. I'm a doer. So if I see something is wrong, then I feel like I have to get in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/i-m-not-a-complainer-i-m-a-doer-so-if-i-see-something-is-wrong-then-i/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [As we say we fight for working people, we have to make sure our policies reflect that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/as-we-say-we-fight-for-working-people-we-have-to-make-sure-our/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

> [The vast majority of immigrants - regardless of the conditions of war and poverty that may wrack their home countries - come and contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/the-vast-majority-of-immigrants-regardless-of-the-conditions-of-war/)

[Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

[Explore all 102 Pramila Jayapal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie that they take public benefits, because they don't qualify for just about every benefit.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Pramila Jayapal"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-take-it-is-a-lie-that-they-take/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-take-it-is-a-lie-that-they-take/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/366/pramila-jayapal-5245_about_immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-tak_2708695.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Immigrants contribute more than they take. It is a lie that they take public benefits, because they don't…” — Pramila Jayapal",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Pramila Jayapal",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Immigrants contribute more than they take....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-take-it-is-a-lie-that-they-take/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/immigrants-contribute-more-than-they-take-it-is-a-lie-that-they-take/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
