Michigan Republican lawmakers are sounding the alarm over certain provisions of the state’s New Rental Subsidy program, which gives up to $500 to landlords who rent to immigrants.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration has argued that the program is aimed at helping newly arrived immigrants find affordable housing and better integrate into society. The program, which her administration quietly launched in October without input from the state Legislature, provides “up to 12 eligible refugee and other new resident households with eligibility based on immigration status and household.” It will provide up to $500 in rental assistance per month. income. ”
To qualify, immigrants must be refugees, asylees, special immigrant visa holders, victims of human trafficking, Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and Afghan or Ukrainian humanitarian parolees. Immigrants whose applications are only pending are also eligible.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer with migrants at the southern border. (Getty Images)
This means migrants who cross the border illegally to apply for asylum to avoid deportation may benefit from the subsidy.
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If an immigrant is unable to provide proof of income, such as a paycheck or bank statement, the applicant must provide a written explanation of why the document is missing. One of the options available to them is ‘cash payment’.
Michigan House Republican Leader Matt Hall has been leading efforts to raise awareness about the subsidy program, especially in light of last month’s murder of a Michigan woman allegedly committed by an illegal immigrant.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivers the State of the State Address to a joint session of the House and Senate at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on January 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Al Gordis)
“These are the kinds of policies that attract illegal aliens to the state,” Hall said in an interview on Fox News Digital. “And some of them are bringing in drugs, some of them are committing serious crimes…They are going to places where they can get state benefits, where they won’t be asked about their immigration status. “They’re not going to be held in prison or deported.”
It remains unclear how many migrants who have crossed the border illegally and applied for asylum as a defense against deportation are benefiting from the program. Hall and Michigan State Rep. Joe Aragona R. Clinton Township, who chairs the housing subcommittee, sent a letter to the governor’s office last week asking for a “detailed breakdown of recipients,” specifically those seeking asylum. The focus was on those who had done so. They were found to be in the United States illegally.
“Resources are finite and must be allocated wisely to ensure that programs are available to the refugees and others they serve, and that programs are aligned with their intended goals. , it is critical that we prioritize those who have gone through the process correctly and have gained social status and are not facing imminent deportation from the United States,” the lawmakers wrote.
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Hall said the governor’s office has not responded to those questions. Fox News Digital reached out to the governor’s office multiple times for comment, but did not receive a response prior to publication.
Fox News Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
