President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Wednesday eliminating federal taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants.
The order will direct all federal agencies to identify all federally funded programs currently providing any financial benefits to illegal immigrants and “take corrective action.” The order is intended to ensure that any federal funds to states and localities “will not be used to support sanctuary policies or assist illegal immigration.”
It will also mandate improvements in eligibility verification to prevent federal benefits from going to anyone in the U.S. illegally.
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The order will show that Trump is “committed to safeguarding federal public health benefits for American citizens who are truly in need, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.”
“The surge in illegal immigration, enabled by the previous Administration, is siphoning dollars and essential services from American citizens while state and local budgets grow increasingly strained,” a White House fact sheet states.
The House Homeland Security Committee estimated that taxpayers could pay as much as $451 billion to care for illegal immigrants and gotaways that have entered the U.S. unlawfully since January 2021, the sheet said.
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The order is part of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration through law enforcement raids and other measures to combat the flow of illegal migrants into the U.S.
The White House noted that the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimated that American taxpayers spend at least $182 billion annually to cover the costs incurred by the presence of 20 million illegal immigrants and their children.
That figure includes $66.5 billion in federal expenses and an additional $115.6 billion in state and local funds.
