Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall recently introduced a resolution that would block citizenship for illegal immigrants dependent on taxpayer-funded benefits.
The resolution was first obtained by the Daily Caller and focuses on a new DHS rule that would cut the number of benefits immigrants can use that would be held against them when applying for permanent residency in the United States.
In 2019, the Trump administration defined any immigrant who had received one or more designated public benefits for more than 12 months within a 36-month period as a “public charge.” Section 212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) renders a noncitizen inadmissible if they are “likely at any time to become a public charge,” DHS’s website states.
The Trump administration included food stamps, housing vouchers and Medicaid as benefits that would disqualify an immigrant from receiving a green card. Under DHS’s new rule, only the receipt of cash benefits or long-term institutional care could lead to a public charge finding.
“DHS’s proposed public charge rules continue our country down the dangerous path of incentivizing migrants to illegally cross our southern border. Granting citizenship to illegal aliens who would be dependent on federal benefits is a burden that American taxpayers and our national debt cannot afford,” Marshall said in a statement.
“The previous Administration made it clear to would-be law breakers that they would receive no support or citizenship from the American government,” Marshall added. “We need to get back to policies like this if our country is going to have any hope at stopping the invasion at our southern border that started when President Biden took office.”
READ THE RESOLUTION HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) has endorsed Marshall’s Congressional Review Act. Marshall introduced the resolution on Nov. 14.
“The Biden administration could care less about the ultimate stakeholder in our immigration system — the American people. That doesn’t only apply to a border that is being overrun, however. The public charge rule not only flouts Congress’ intent, it erodes the integrity of the legal immigration system and sticks it to American taxpayers,” FAIR’s Head of Government Relations and Communications RJ Hauman said. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Banks, Sen. Marshall To Introduce Legislation To Defund Far-Left DAs)
“We encourage Senator Marshall’s colleagues to follow his lead and fight the Biden administration’s radical immigration policy agenda on all fronts,” Hauman added. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Demand CBP Commissioner Resign)
The DHS did not immediately respond to the Caller’s inquiry about the resolution.