While it sounds nice getting "free" money especially if you're not making much, could this still lead back to the same problems of dependency? You get the same amount of money whether you work or not anyway.
People might be motivated to better themselves if actual welfare is cut off but should these people fail to save up and end up in emergencies, it's likely the other taxpayers would still have to break their fall.
If we ever get to using UBI I hope it's some sort of blockchain system where every detail of expenses are tracked and the gov't can block certain purchases or impose limits or outright cut off the money if it's being wasted.
This is incompatible with lax or unrestricted immigration of course. I know you restricted it to US citizens, just saying.
Cutting out welfare might probably cut down on illegal immigration more than any wall, me thinks. I mean, look at those men with multiple wives migrating to Europe and living off welfare they are getting through the children and not working. Many of those were already in there before the rise of ISIS.
But a fundamental rule of government is that no programs are allowed to be considered which are not capable of supporting graft, corruption and political favoritism.
Unfortunately. That's how the system perpetuate itself. Sure there are honest politicians but many would definitely try to take advantage, especially since they are the ones who write the laws and implement them.