Democrats’ stalled budget bill includes $8 billion a year for 10 years for illegal immigrant parents, the Center for Immigration Studies announced on Tuesday.
The bill would replace a program that requires parents to work to receive welfare and increase the funds available to illegal immigrant parents because some who work “off the books” can’t verify their employment, according to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS). Any illegal immigrant with a child born in the U.S. would be able to apply for aid through the program.
“We estimate that illegal immigrants will receive $8.2 billion in payments from the new program annually — more than triple what they were eligible for under the old ACTC — while legal immigrants will receive $17.2 billion,” wrote CIS Director of Research Dr. Steven Camarota. “The 10-year cost just for illegal immigrants would total roughly $80 billion.”
Ricardo, 31, from Haiti, holds his daughter Ricardini, 2, on his shoulders as another girl looks on, after they crossed the US-Mexico border, abandoning their goal of entering the United States in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila state, Mexico on September 20, 2021. (Photo by PAUL RATJE/AFP via Getty Images)
CIS estimated that 57% of legal immigrant families and 79% of illegal immigrant families would receive welfare payments, though just 52% of American families get the same kind of assistance. Illegal immigrant parents are also eligible for around $5,100 in payouts compared to about $4,600 available for American parents.
“We estimate that all immigrants (legal and illegal) will receive $25.4 billion from the new program annually, accounting for 27 percent of its total costs, with legal immigrants receiving $17.2 billion, and illegal immigrants receiving $8.2 billion,” Camarota wrote. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Democrats’ Slideshow Highlights Amnesty Proposal For Illegal Immigrants That Would Cost $105 Billion In Reconciliation Bill)
Legal immigrants would receive more funding because there are more low-income, legal immigrants living in the U.S. than there are illegal immigrants, according to CIS.
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