Kennedy, Daines, colleagues introduce legislation to block taxpayer-funded payments to illegal immigrants
Nov 03 2021
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and colleagues in introducing the Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act to block President Biden’s reported plan to spend $450,000 per person for legal settlements for illegal immigrants. This plan could cost more than one billion dollars in taxpayer money.
“Sending money to illegal immigrants rewards people for breaking the law, and that only makes the border crisis more dangerous. These settlements with illegal aliens would be a bitter insult to every person who has come to America by respecting our laws and borders. I’m happy to partner with Sen. Daines to prevent the Biden administration from undermining and apologizing for the rule of law,” said Kennedy.
“Biden’s open border policies have reached a new crazy level. Montana families are struggling with inflation and skyrocketing costs on everything from gas to groceries because of Biden’s wasteful spending policies, and now the President wants to give hundreds of thousands of dollars to illegal immigrants. Because of Biden, our southern border has been taken over by Mexican cartels and this effort will only continue to incentivize illegal immigration making it worse. This is a gut punch to the American taxpayer,” said Daines.
Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) also cosponsored the legislation.
The senators are also introducing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 that would prevent taxpayer-funded settlements for illegal immigrants.
Text of the Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act is available here.
Text of the NDAA amendment is available here.