Republican Senators Propose Bill to Deport Illegal Immigrants on Welfare

WASHINGTON — A coalition of Republican senators is proposing a new bill aimed at automatically deporting illegal immigrants who access welfare and other public assistance programs, effectively ensuring they can never return to the U.S.

The initiative, dubbed the Deporting Fraudsters Act, is led by Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Mike Lee (R-Utah). The legislation seeks to clarify federal law regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants found guilty of defrauding government programs.

“Taxpayer-funded benefits should only go to Americans who meet eligibility requirements,” Cruz remarked in a statement.

He further criticized the Biden Administration’s border policies, asserting that they have led to increased misuse of these benefits by illegal immigrants. “This bill will put an end to that misuse, and I encourage my colleagues to pass it promptly.”

This legislation would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, mandating automatic deportation and barring illegal immigrants found guilty of fraud from being readmitted to the country.

Currently, the law does not classify welfare fraud as a deportable offense but instead uses the term “moral corruption,” which legislators argue is too vague and can lead to uneven enforcement.

“Those who falsify documents, steal identities, and exploit the system to receive public benefits, like SNAP or Medicaid, should be deported without hesitation,” Cornyn stated.

The Trump administration has also been cracking down on undocumented immigrants fraudulently obtaining legitimate federal or state documents, such as commercial driver’s licenses.

On a related note, Congressional Republicans have claimed that Democrats are trying to provide health benefits to individuals lacking legal status as part of their negotiations around a potential government shutdown.

While federal law generally prohibits illegal immigrants from accessing federal health benefits, Democrats are urging Republican leaders to reconsider recent Medicaid reforms that aim to block funding for around 1.4 million immigrants deemed “lawfully present” but lacking enforceable legal status.

In a 2022 analysis, approximately 48% of households led by illegal immigrants were reported to receive SNAP benefits, according to a study from the Center for Immigration Studies. The same study indicated that about 59% of those families rely on some form of welfare.

Reportedly, these individuals receive around $42 billion in public benefits annually. “This bill will ensure that illegal immigrants who misuse taxpayer money are subjected to deportation,” Lee asserted. “Those who come to our country and exploit our generosity through fraud should face immediate deportation.”

A companion bill has also been introduced in the House by Representative Dave Taylor (R-Ohio). “When illegal immigrants defraud the U.S. or take resources from our most vulnerable citizens, it’s only logical they be permanently removed,” he remarked. “Law-abiding, hard-working Ohioans shouldn’t have their tax dollars misappropriated by illegal aliens.”