(TargetLiberty.org) – After months of clashes with President Joe Biden’s administration and the DNC, GOP leaders are once again making another bid to stop the government from engaging in overspending and overreach. Republican lawmakers introduced a new bill to the Senate on December 2 that, if approved, would effectively halt excessive spending in one key area.
About the New Act
The new “Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act” (PATDIIA) prevents the federal government from drawing on taxpayer money to pay for court judgments and lawsuit settlements from migrants detained or separated while Trump was still in office. It specifically restricts access to funds when complainants violate section 275(a) of the 4 Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1325(a)).
That particular area of the law includes unlawful entry into the country as well as failure to depart. Those two crimes could theoretically apply in any case where a migrant sneaks across the border or attempts to remain on US soil without permission.
The new bill was written and put forth by Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who collaborated with Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tom Cotton, (R-AR), and John Cornyn (R-TX). It carefully delineates the difference between legitimate asylum seekers, refugees and lawbreakers. It also only applies to cases occurring after January 20, 2017.
Biden Administration Contemplated Huge Payouts
Rumors from mid-October suggested that the Biden administration was mulling over the idea of huge payouts — up to $450,000 — for migrants affected by Trump’s heavily restrictive border policies. The Wall Street Journal specifically blamed the DOJ, Homeland Security, and HHS for the hare-brained idea in an exclusive report on October 28.
President Joe Biden later attempted to debunk the amount of money involved, calling the rumors “garbage” and suggesting “That’s not gonna happen” during a press conference. But even he admitted the option was at least on the table, if not yet fully resolved.
During the same exchange, the president said he felt the government owed compensation to affected families for the trauma of separation. When the journalist pressed him for additional information on what that compensation might look like, Biden said he had “no idea.”
Republicans Fire Back
Republicans immediately raised concerns about overspending as well as the perception that the federal government sought to reward foreign criminals for violating the law. Many feared it would further incentivize migrants to attempt to cross the border.
Senator Tillis did not mince words in his response to the rumors. He called the crisis at the southern border an unmitigated disaster. He questioned why Biden was so willing to offer payouts at a time when illegal immigration is at such critically high levels.
McConnell also spoke out, blasting Biden for the excessive and gluttonous plan. He claims that the payouts would ultimately attract the most dangerous form of illegal immigration, making millionaires out of foreign nationals suspected of committing a crime. That’s unacceptable at a time when the average citizen continues to struggle under the weight of inflation.
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