Bangladeshis and Public Charge

This dark achievement of Bangladeshis should never have happened.

Elderly parents live in Bangladesh, yet their children in the United States claim government benefits worth crores of taka in the name of “caring for” those parents – such incidents have recently come to light. In America, the government pays the equivalent of more than 2,000 Bangladeshi taka per hour to care for disabled, immobile, or mentally impaired individuals. Bangladeshis often take this benefit themselves by showing that they are caring for an elderly parent, a child, a spouse, a sibling – anyone. Sometimes the entire family’s expenses are covered by this income, and no one in the household works anymore; they can continue like this as long as the dependent family member remains alive.

Many people sit at home for years and collect unemployment benefits without working. Among Indians, this trend is far less common. Because most of them, due to strong communication skills, quickly get into some job, and their salaries are so high that they do not qualify for benefits. The quality of the Indian education system is one of the reasons they have not ended up on this shameful blacklist. No one appreciates the misuse of hardworking taxpayers’ money, and now the entire Bangladeshi community is having to bear the burden of this dark reputation.

In America, there is a concept called public charge, which refers to receiving certain types of government benefits. About 54% of Bangladeshis receive various government benefits. Among Indians, this rate is only about 4%. Pakistanis also have a high rate. USCIS evaluates whether an applicant seeking permanent residency in the United States is likely to depend on government cash assistance or long-term institutional care in the future. Based on this assessment, Bangladeshis have earned a “black badge.”

Many people have a misunderstanding – they think that any assistance counts as public charge. Out of fear that it will affect their immigration status, they avoid taking benefits even when they are eligible. For example, Medicare/Medical and food stamps are not public charge; they do not affect anyone’s immigration status. Direct government cash assistance (such as SSI, TANF, state/local cash assistance), unemployment benefits, and long-term institutional care (such as Medicaid-funded nursing home care) – these are public charge, and these are what have put Bangladeshis on the blacklist. Other benefits – such as regular Medicaid use, SNAP/food stamps, WIC, school lunch, COVID assistance, housing vouchers – are not considered public charge.

On American streets, you will see hundreds of homeless people – sleeping on sidewalks, in bus and train stations, pushing shopping carts full of their belongings all day. Many of them survive on government benefits. Some have the ability to work but choose not to. Most of these homeless individuals are African American, White American, or of European descent; a small number are Hispanic. You will rarely see Asians, Indians, or Bangladeshis living this street life. Does that mean Asians, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Bhutanese, Afghans are all hardworking? Not necessarily – many of them simply know how to live off benefits at home for an entire lifetime. They go back to Bangladesh and donate to orphanages or madrasas to appear as philanthropists in their communities. Many Bangladeshis live off benefits while spending their days fighting over Awami League–BNP–Jamaat politics on foreign soil.

For those who are afraid to take benefits they genuinely need, let me repeat:
Many people mistakenly believe that taking the following will harm their immigration status:
– Medicaid
– Food Stamps (SNAP)
– WIC
– Housing Voucher
– Free or Low-Cost School Lunch
– COVID‑19 Support

This is incorrect. These are not public charge. Assistance from charitable organizations such as The Salvation Army or churches is also not public charge. Taking these benefits does not create any immigration problems.

What is considered public charge:
– SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
– TANF (cash welfare)
– State/local cash assistance
– Medicaid‑funded long-term nursing home care
– Long-term dependence on unemployment benefits

In most cases, these are direct cash supports. These are the benefits that have put Bangladeshis on the “blacklist” – because, as mentioned earlier, about 54% of Bangladeshi immigrants receive some form of government benefit, while among Indians the rate is only 4%.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi community leaders are busy organizing fairs by bringing singers, dancers, actors, and actresses from Bangladesh – but you rarely see them take initiatives that would build a positive image of Bangladeshis. Most Americans do not even know where Bangladesh is; those who do often know it as a region plagued by floods, cyclones, disasters, and instability. On top of that, this dark achievement of Bangladeshis will only reinforce their negative perception.