"As long as we provide taxpayer funded social services to illegal immigrants, there is no physical barrier or number of border patrol agents that will stop them.”
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON, D.C. – "As long as we provide taxpayer funded social services to illegal immigrants, there is no physical barrier or number of Border Patrol Agents that will stop them. To add insult to injury, we’re paying $9,000 per illegal immigrant – more than we spend on Medicaid for our most vulnerable Americans or military retirement benefits for our soldiers,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, as he was joined by Cong. Chip Roy (TX-21) in introducing H.R.10469, the America First Act to prevent illegal immigrants paroled into the United States from accessing billions of dollars in welfare and other benefits intended for American families.
“Over the last four years, the unprecedented and unmitigated crisis at the southern border has devastated our communities. Today, I am proud to join Chip Roy and Mike Lee in introducing the America First Act, which would cut off federal benefits for illegals and save over $177 billion,” Arrington (at right,) said. President Biden’s unprecedented abuse of parole for foreign citizens illegally entering our country has resulted in millions of illegal aliens being supported and subsidized by struggling American families through their tax dollars, worsening the border crisis.
The bill has also been introduced in the Senate by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT).
"For years, Americans have been told that illegal immigrants are barred from receiving federal benefits to distract from Washington’s complete failure to secure our borders,” said Senator Lee.
"This is a lie. Millions of illegal immigrants 'paroled' into the United States, many for fraudulent asylum claims, have gained the ability to access welfare and aid programs originally designed to help American families, not attract and support massive populations of foreign citizens.
"The America First Act pulls the plug on this criminal redistribution scheme forced upon the American people by Joe Biden and generations of dishonest politicians,” Lee said.
"This is a lie. Millions of illegal immigrants 'paroled' into the United States, many for fraudulent asylum claims, have gained the ability to access welfare and aid programs originally designed to help American families, not attract and support massive populations of foreign citizens.
"The America First Act pulls the plug on this criminal redistribution scheme forced upon the American people by Joe Biden and generations of dishonest politicians,” Lee said.
Added Cong. Chip Roy, “Millions of illegal aliens are exploiting U.S. welfare and aid programs that are meant to help struggling Americans,” said . “This is inexcusable. Continuing to hand out welfare to illegals only acts as a magnet for them to keep flooding our communities. That’s why we introduced the America First Act to end illegal aliens’ ability to profit off of American taxpayer dollars once and for all.”
Background:
- In July of this year, the Congressional Budget Office found that the Biden administration’s failure to secure the border will add “$0.3 trillion to outlays for federal mandatory programs and net spending for interest on the debt over the 2024–2034 period.”
- Further, CBO found that “[m]ost of those outlays are for premium tax credits, other refundable tax credits, and Medicaid” while “SNAP, child nutrition programs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security, Medicare, and assistance for higher education account for smaller amounts.”
- The Foundation for American Immigration Reform has estimated that the combined cost of federal, state, and local assistance to non-citizens is at least $150.7 billion a year.
- Section 2 – PRWORA Requirements
- Amends PRWORA to exclude illegal aliens, asylees, parolees, and those withheld from deportation from receiving welfare, including SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, CHIP, and certain housing benefits. This significantly reduces eligibility for most federal benefits for illegal aliens who have been wrongfully paroled into the United States by the Biden-Harris administration.
- Section 3 – Head Start
- Removes Head Start eligibility from illegal aliens, asylees, parolees, temporary protected status (TPS) recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those withheld from deportation.
- Section 4 – Federal Health Care Benefits
- Eliminates Medicare eligibility and Medicaid subsidies for illegal aliens, asylees, parolees, TPS recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those with deportation withheld.
- Prohibits Federally Qualified Health Centers from providing non-emergency care to illegal aliens.
- Section 5 – Housing
- Restricts federal housing assistance to only U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents and would make asylees, parolees, TPS recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those withheld from deportation ineligible for federal housing programs.
- Prohibits illegal aliens, asylees, parolees, TPS recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those withheld from deportation. from living in a housing unit financed by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
- Section 6 – Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit
- Requires all taxpayers who claim the EITC, CTC, and/or the $500 “other dependent” tax credit to have a valid Social Security Number in order to claim either credit.
- Section 7 – FEMA Reform
- Eliminates the Shelter and Service Program (SSP), which has funneled $640 million to sheltering illegal aliens in FY24 and ensures that FEMA disaster funds are only provided to American citizens and lawful permanent residents.
- Section 8 – FAFSA Eligibility
- Removes FAFSA eligibility for non-citizens.
- Section 9 – ESEA Funding for Sanctuary Jurisdictions
- Restricts ESEA funding for sanctuary jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal immigration authorities.
- Section 10 – Limitations on Services for Haitian Immigrants
- Removes the special benefit designation for Haitian entrants under PRWORA.
- Section 11 – Limitations on Reasonable Opportunity Periods (ROPs) for Medicaid Enrollment
- Requires individuals to provide proof of citizenship before receiving Medicaid benefits.
- Limits the number of ROPs for individuals unable to provide proof of citizenship when applying for Medicaid.
- Section 12 – Verification of Citizenship for WIC and School Meal Programs
- Removes eligibility for WIC and School Meal Programs for illegal aliens, asylees, parolees, TPS recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those withheld from deportation.
- Section 13 – Restrictions on the Use of Community Development Block Grants
- Restricts Community Development Block Grant Program recipients from using funds to provide illegal aliens, asylees, parolees, TPS recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those withheld from deportation with monetary contributions or in-kind goods or services.
- Restricts 501(c)(3) organizations from using federal grant funding, appropriated funding, or any other federal funding source to provide illegal aliens, parolees, TPS recipients, deferred action or enforcement recipients, and those withheld from deportation with monetary contributions or in-kind goods or services.
- Section 14 – Regulations and Guidance
- Directs the head of each appropriate agency to promulgate necessary guidance and rulemaking to carry out the provisions of the Act.
