More than 40 million Americans living in poverty: UN expert

GENEVA - 16 December 2017: The number of Americans living in poverty and the already high income inequality could worsen further in the days to come, making the United States the most unequal society in the world, the United Nations expert on extreme poverty and human rights warned.

"The American Dream is rapidly becoming the American Illusion, as the US now has the lowest rate of social mobility of any of the rich countries,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston at the end of a fact finding mission to the country.

"Instead of realizing its founders’ admirable commitments, today’s United States has proved itself to be exceptional in far more problematic ways that are shockingly at odds with its immense wealth and its founding commitment to human rights," he was quoted by , the UN News Center as saying on Saturday.

He expressed fear that proposed changes in US tax and welfare policies could have "devastating consequences" for the poorest in the country and make it the "most unequal society in the world."