One of the most basic, fundamental differences between normal Americans and the left is that normies believe that welfare benefits should be strictly limited to American citizens. On the other hand, the radical, social justice-infected left seem to believe that taxpayer dollars are party to favors to be showered on everyone, especially the illegal aliens they took so much trouble to import in the name of ensuring a permanent Democratic electoral majority.
But with Trump47, normal Americans are back in charge again, and illegal aliens are being deported just as the law requires. Now the DOJ is telling state welfare agencies that if they want to keep receiving welfare funding, they have to report illegal aliens on their rolls.
A new legal opinion dictates that all state agencies, in order to receive most forms of federal welfare funding, must report their knowledge of illegal aliens on those programs.
The opinion targets the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Security Income programs, which are received by all states, the District of Columbia, and some U.S. territories.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program “is designed to help families with children experiencing low-income achieve economic security and stability,” while the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) “provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources.”
It seems that every week a news story reports on yet another welfare state program I didn’t already have a tag for. They seem to multiply like rabbits.
“When a state chooses to participate in TANF, it accepts the obligation to report illegal aliens in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser. “Tax dollars intended to help vulnerable Americans should not perversely encourage illegal entry into the United States, but rather should reinforce our laws and our borders.”
According to some reports, 59.4 percent of illegal immigrant households use one or more welfare programs in the United States. This is partially due to over half of all illegal immigrant households having at least one U.S.-born child, with about $1.43 billion—or 9.4 percent—of TANF funding going to U.S.-born children of illegal aliens in fiscal year 2022.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced last Wednesday that its Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) withdrew a Clinton-era opinion that gave a more narrow interpretation of the legal requirements for TANF and SSI funding.
The former interpretation required only state agencies facilitating the programs to report knowledge of illegal aliens to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, while the new opinion broadens the requirement to all state agencies based on a 1996 congressional interpretation of the term “state.”
“Our clarification does not impose new obligations on states,” said OLC Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Craddock. “It simply restores the original meaning of the statute Congress enacted and ensures that DHS receives the information it is legally entitled to. States that accept TANF funding must abide by federal law, and failure to comply may lead to serious consequences, including loss of program funding.”
Texas has the second-highest population of illegal aliens in the United States, with about 14.3 percent of the nation’s overall illegal population.
In 2023, Texas had 2.1 million illegal immigrants living within its borders, representing about 7 percent of the state’s total population and an increase of 450,000 since 2021.
As stewards of taxpayer money, both DOJ and the state should continue to crack down on welfare state fraud and deport illegal aliens.
It’s a win-win for both taxpayers and the rule of law.
Texas and New York have a comparable population size but per capita outlays on welfare benefits reveal that Texans receive half as much–$2,000 v $4,000. The TANF program will disproportionately affect New York.
Conversely, benefit cuts have less leverage over Texas policy. This requires Texans to apply political pressure against the Governor’s office to ensure the DOJ’s new policy is followed because 2.1 million illegal immigrants provide a lot of weight to the political calculus.
Texans have to surmount a daunting challenge if they expect to reign in illegal immigration.
One obvious difference between Texas and New York is that the former isn’t a sanctuary state and doesn’t have an official policy of shielding illegals.
“Texas…isn’t a sanctuary state and doesn’t have an official policy of shielding illegals.”
2.1 million illegal aliens have found refuge in the bosom of Texas. If that is not. “sanctuary” it is the next best thing.
“Texas had 2.1 million illegal immigrants living within its borders, representing about 7 percent of the state’s total population”
That is a lot. If they where not welcomed this would cause a lot of stressors in communities, with illegals hiding from police and citizens questioning anyone ‘fitting the description’.
Mutual distrust is not good. The illegals should leave.