Trump Proposes Major Change on Immigrant Welfare Policy

President Trump has proposed that legislation be enacted that would bar immigrants from receiving any welfare benefits or public assistance in the US until they have lived here for five years. The idea is to stop indigent foreigners from coming to America just to get lucrative welfare benefits, benefits that should be reserved for Americans who have paid into these programs or whose employers have paid into them on their behalf.

President Trump announced Wednesday night that he will soon ask Congress to pass legislation banning immigrants from accessing public assistance within five years of entering the U.S.

“The time has come for new immigration rules that say … those seeking immigration into our country must be able to support themselves financially and should not use welfare for a period of at least five years,” Trump told a campaign-style rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Trump’s proposal would build on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which allows federal authorities to deport immigrants who become public dependents within five years of their arrival. Many of that law’s provisions were rolled back during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, but Trump’s proposal would make more categories of federal benefits off-limits to immigrants.

Lest anyone be surprised or misled, other nations put requirements on those who would immigrate to their nations such that they must demonstrate fiscal solvency. So this is far from a unique idea or proposal.

Trump’s proposal would also prevent the admission of people who are likely to become so-called “public charges” within five years of their arrival. The concept of “public charge” has been part of U.S. immigration law for over a century. It allows the government to bar entry to individuals who are likely to seek public assistance. Trump is expected to propose toughening up the rules regarding “public charge” and ensuring that they are enforced.

While much of this could possibly be put in force by presidential executive order, President Trump prefers that it be codified into federal law.

It will be interesting to see where the opposition will come from, although we have a pretty good idea. The Democrats, many of whom are eager to slip some migrants into the country who can be counted on to repay the favor at the ballot box, legally or otherwise, will likely scream that this proposal is intolerant, racist, and cruel.

In passing, it does suggest that other nations need to abandon their failed policies and actually create countries in which their citizens are eager to live, not ones they are eager to leave.

Offering a free ride to immigrants will only increase those looking for such assistance to see ways of entering the US and getting on the dole. President Trump’s proposal is worthy of support.

Source: Fox News

Image: Fellowship of the Minds