Republicans introduced a new bill on to block a reported plan by the Biden administration to pay millions of dollars to illegal immigrants separated at the border.
Rep. Tom McClintock, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship, introduced the Illegal Immigration Payoff Prohibition Act which amends 28 USC 2414 – which gives the attorney general the authority to enter settlement agreements.
The bill would block the attorney general from making any settlement payments to illegal immigrants that directly arise from their violation of immigration laws, including laws that criminalize illegal border crossings and that make a migrant inadmissible for attempting to enter a country illegally at a port of entry.
The bill is co-sponsored by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan and 135 other members, and it represents a coordinated effort by House Republicans to block Biden’s attempt to pay off illegals to the tune of $450,000 each.
“Who says crime doesn’t pay? Under Biden it apparently pays very well indeed,” McClintock said in a statement.
“Law-abiding, hardworking Americans have seen their purchasing power decimated by Biden’s economic policies while he has surrendered our southern border. Paying illegal immigrants $450,000 apiece as an apology for Trump’s decision to enforce our immigration law adds insult to injury. Congress has the power of the purse, and that’s why we must act today to stop this outrageous plan in its tracks.”
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services are considering the payments of $450,000 per person to those who crossed the border illegally and were separated from family members. It is in response to a lawsuit by civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union.
The payments could therefore amount to close to $1 million per family and $1 billion overall.
Amid a fury of backlash, Biden has been trying to reject the reports to disassociate himself from the plan. When questioned about the reports by Fox News’ Peter Doocy on Wednesday, Biden flatly rejected them – calling them “garbage” when asked if it would incentivize further illegal immigration.
“If you guys keep sending that garbage out? Yeah, but it’s not true,” he said. “$450,000 per person, is that what you’re saying?” he said. “That’s not going to happen.”
Many are still not buying the president’s refute of the plan.
McCarthy, who recently requested a meeting with Biden over the border crisis and plans by congressional Democrats to include amnesty for illegal immigrants in the proposed reconciliation bill, said the reported proposals showed Biden’s priorities are “backwards.”
“With all the challenges Americans are facing every day – including an unprecedented border crisis – providing $450,000 per person settlement payments to illegal immigrants is pure insanity,” he said in a statement.
“This is not only an insult to the American people, but also will worsen the border crisis and lead to a business boom for drug cartels and human traffickers, who are already exploiting Democrats’ disastrous border policies.”
“Democrats lock down the economy, pay people not to work, raise your taxes, and now want to give illegal immigrants $450,000 checks paid for by American taxpayers,” Jordan said. “Our bill would make sure the Attorney General can’t unilaterally make that happen.”
Author: Evan Repston
