Renowned media entrepreneur and community leader, Mogaji Wole Arisekola, has condemned a fabricated statistics which painted a false picture that 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households are receiving some form of public assistance in the United States of America.
Arisekola was setting the record straight and also disapproving the chart shared on Trump’s Truth Social platform on January/ 4, 2026, amid continued Republican focus on immigration, welfare dependency, and economic contribution debates in US domestic politics.
The chart, titled “Immigrant Welfare Recipient Rates by Country of Origin,” covers approximately 114 nations and territories, showing the number of households that receive some form of public support, such as food assistance, healthcare benefits, and others.
According to the chart, the top 10 countries with the highest reported welfare rates include Bhutan – 81.4 percent; Yemen – 75.2 percent; Somalia – 71.9 percent; Marshall Islands – 71.4 percent; Dominican Republic – 68.1 percent; Afghanistan – 68.1 percent; Congo – 66.0 percent; Guinea – 65.8 percent; Samoa (1940–1950) – 63.4 percent; and Cape Verde – 63.1 percent.
Similarly, the top 10 countries with the lowest percentage of immigrant households receiving assistance are Bermuda – 25.5 percent; Saudi Arabia – 25.7 percent; Israel/Palestine – 25.9 percent; Argentina – 26.2 percent; South America (unspecified) – 26.7 percent; Korea – 27.2 percent; Zambia – 28.0%; Portugal – 28.2 percent; Kenya – 28.5 percent; and Kuwait – 29.3 percent.
Alongside the welfare statistics, the Trump administration expanded travel bans and immigration restrictions on who is allowed into the United States and under what conditions.
However, in a swift reaction on Tuesday seen by Veracity Desk (veracitydesk.com), the founder of Street Journal Magazine who currently serves as the President of the Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria (AMPON) said: “Reliable data on immigrant benefit use by President Trump does not support the simple headline that 33 % of Nigerian immigrants depend on public benefits.
“Research by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) shows Nigerians in the U.S. are among the most educated immigrant groups, with a much higher share holding college and advanced degrees compared to the U.S. population.”
Record over the years shows that Arisekola’s work in journalism has established him as a significant voice in the media industry, where he has built a reputation for integrity, impactful reporting, news analysis and informed articles on topical national and international issues.
