WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in introducing legislation to prevent payments for legal settlements for illegal immigration. Under the Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act, no federal funds, including money from the Judgment Fund, could be spent to enrich illegal immigrants at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers.
Despite the crisis consuming our southern border, President Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) wants to give out payments of $450,000 per person to illegal immigrants who broke our laws, came here illegally, and put their children’s lives at risk. If successful, President Biden’s DOJ could pay out hundreds of millions of dollars to illegal immigrants at the same time that hardworking American taxpayers are struggling under Democrat’s reckless tax and spend policies.
“The Biden administration has failed to take control of the crisis at the southern border. We cannot reward illegal immigrants with hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to break our laws,” said Risch. “This administration is only encouraging more illegal immigration and an increased flow of illegal drugs across the border and into states like Idaho.”
“The Biden Administration continues to refuse to call the situation at the border what it is--a staggering and unprecedented crisis,”said Crapo. “Proposals by this Administration to reward illegal behavior on the backs of hardworking Americans struggling from rising inflation, supply chain shortages and increased costs is shortsighted and unacceptable. We should not be incentivizing further illegal immigration by rewarding illegal entry.”
Additional cosponsors of the legislation include Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).
The full bill text can be found here.
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