Cape Verde appears in the Top 10 of a list released by Trump on immigrants receiving social assistance in the US

A list recently shared by US President Donald J. Trump has once again put immigration at the center of public debate. The document brings together more than 120 countries and indicates the percentage of immigrant households that receive some kind of social assistance in the United States. Cape Verde stands out, occupying 10th place on the list, with 63.1% of immigrant households receiving government support.

The release of the list, widely shared on social media, was not accompanied by detailed explanations of the methodology used, which generated criticism and warnings from experts. Analysts point out that the data, presented without context, can lead to distorted interpretations of the reality of immigrant communities.

In the specific case of Cape Verde, community leaders and scholars of the diaspora point out that the Cape Verdean presence in the United States dates back more than a century. The community has historically been linked to port and industrial work and, more recently, to the service, health and education sectors. Many of the households that use social assistance include elderly people, low-income working families, children and newly arrived immigrants, using the programs as temporary and complementary support.

In addition, the Cape Verdean diaspora is recognized for its strong economic contribution, both in the United States - through tax payments, entrepreneurship and workforce - and in Cape Verde, through remittances that continue to play an essential role in the national economy.

Cape Verde's inclusion in the Top 10 list, while eye-catching, comes at a sensitive political moment when statistical data is often used to support broader narratives about immigration. For community representatives, the biggest risk is that unframed numbers reinforce stigmas and ignore the history of integration, work and contribution of the Cape Verdean diaspora in the United States.