In a move that underscores the administration's commitment to upholding the law and protecting taxpayer dollars,.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has issued a directive that restricts access to food stamps to American citizens and legal immigrants only. This action is seen as a practical step to deter illegal immigrants from exploiting the system.
Secretary Rollins, in a press release, declared, The days in which taxpayer dollars are used to subsidize illegal immigration are over. Today's directive affirms that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will follow the lawfull stop."
The directive instructs the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) within the Agriculture Department to "immediately clarify and enforce all rules restricting its beneficiaries to U.S. citizens and legal residents only."
According to RedState, the directive cites an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on February 19th, which "ends taxpayer subsidization of open borders." The executive order instructs federal departments and agencies to identify all federally funded programs currently providing financial benefits to illegal aliens and take corrective action.
The White House fact sheet states, "President Trump is committed to safeguarding Federal public benefits for American citizens who are truly in need, including individuals with disabilities and veterans."
Interestingly, the directive also references the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, a bipartisan law signed by former President Bill Clinton. The Act "generally prohibits illegal aliens from receiving federal benefits, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits," as stated in Rollins' letter.
The directive is a stark contrast to the Democrat Party's long-standing platform of providing benefits intended for American citizens to those who disregard the nation's laws. The White House reports that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the Biden Administrations open borders agenda cost Federal and state taxpayers more than $16.2 billion by providing Medicaid-funded emergency services to illegal aliens.
Before Biden took office, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced a series of left-wing economic policy proposals aimed at providing unrestricted access to welfare benefits for illegal aliens.
Her proposed legislation, known as A Just Society," stated, "an individual who is an alien (without regard to the immigration status of that alien) may not be denied any Federal public benefit solely on the basis of the individuals immigration status. These federal government benefits include welfare, food stamps, disability, public housing, among others.
While Ocasio-Cortez's bill did not pass, it is believed that elements of it were incorporated into the previous administration's agenda by progressives who later assumed control of the White House under Biden. The recent directive by Secretary Rollins, however, signals a return to a more conservative approach, prioritizing the needs of American citizens and legal residents over those who have entered the country illegally.
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