“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows,” reads Trump’s new rule to close a huge welfare loophole.
“A key priority of my Administration is restoring the rule of law by ensuring that existing immigration laws are enforced. The immigration laws currently require that, when an alien receives certain forms of means-tested public benefits, the government or non-government entity providing the public benefit must request reimbursement from the alien’s financial sponsor.
These laws also require that, when an alien applies for certain means-tested public benefits, the financial resources of the alien’s sponsor must be counted as part of the alien’s financial resources in determining both eligibility for the benefits and the amount of benefits that may be awarded.
Financial sponsors who pledge to financially support the sponsored alien in the event the alien applies for or receives public benefits will be expected to fulfill their commitment under law.
Several major means-tested public benefits programs — including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) — require updated procedures and guidance to ensure that the requirements of existing law are enforced.
The purpose of this memorandum is to direct relevant agencies to update or issue procedures, guidance, and regulations, as needed, to ensure that ineligible non-citizens do not receive means-tested public benefits, in better compliance with the law.”
In other words, Trump will once again finally enforce our laws our past leaders failed to do. From The Washington Examiner:
The Trump administration is cracking down on American citizens who sponsor immigrants that become a strain on the U.S. welfare system.
American sponsors are legally liable for the welfare benefits received by immigrants they sponsor. The laws, part of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, have rarely been enforced, however.
“The immigration laws currently require that, when an alien receives certain forms of means-tested public benefits, the government or non-government entity providing the public benefit must request reimbursement from the alien’s financial sponsor,” a Thursday memo signed by President Trump says.
“Agencies are not adequately enforcing these requirements,” the memo says. “Ensuring compliance with the rule of law requires renewed efforts to enforce these requirements and the issuance of appropriate guidance so agency practices and enforcement can be aligned with Federal law.”
Under the administration’s new policies, state agencies must provide the names of immigrants receiving public benefits to the federal government. The Treasury Department will then bill the immigrants’ sponsors. If the bill is not paid, the department will withhold the amount from the sponsor’s tax returns.
Read the whole Memo here.
