We Don’t Owe Stimulus Checks to Illegals
The Quote Below—More Misinformation from the Media
“While many Americans are set to soon receive another round of cash from the government, undocumented workers will once again be left out, even as they work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. . . .
“As part of the historic 1.9 trillion relief package, millions of Americans will get $1,400 payments for each individual who made less than $75,000 a year (or less than $150,000 for couples), as well as for each child. But “nonresident aliens” — or undocumented immigrants — are not eligible for checks.
“Congress did make some progress in being more inclusive of immigrant families: As was the case with the December legislation, Congress will allow Americans married to undocumented people to receive stimulus checks. And for the first time, U.S. citizen children of undocumented parents who filed taxes with individual tax identification numbers (ITINs) are also eligible.
“This means 2.2 million additional people — kids with Social Security numbers, with undocumented immigrant parents — will be able to get stimulus payments, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy. CLASP’s director of immigration, Wendy Cervantes, called this an ‘important step forward.’
“But though this legislation may be ‘more immigrant-inclusive’ — as Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, put it — ‘Congress unconscionably still continues to exclude 9.3 million immigrant workers and taxpayers from eligibility for stimulus checks.’
“Undocumented immigrants are among the hardest hit by the pandemic and its economic fallout. Undocumented workers are overrepresented in fields that have seen massive layoffs due to COVID-19 restrictions, including the restaurant and hotel industries. What’s more, due to their immigration status, these same workers do not qualify for unemployment benefits. . . .
“Undocumented immigrants who filed taxes using an ITIN — because they aren’t eligible for a Social Security number — contributed to the government funds used to pay for coronavirus relief, all while being cut out of stimulus checks. In 2015, 4.4 million people paid $23.6 billion in taxes using an ITIN, according to the American Immigration Council.
“‘The pandemic has shown how interconnected we are and that none of us can be truly safe, healthy and economically secure until all of us are,’ Cervantes said, condemning the exclusion of “immigrants who have been on the front lines keeping food on our tables and caring for our children and the elderly.” – Undocumented Immigrants Won’t Get Checks for Third Time Around, Sara Ruiz-Grossman, Huffington Post, 3/9/21 [Link]
Fact Check on Above Quote: This article dodges a very simple question. Why should American citizens provide benefits for people who reside here illegally? What is the obligation? Illegal alien advocates constantly speak about various contributions that illegal immigrants make. In fiscal terms, however, they receive more in tax-paid benefits than they pay in taxes. To say that we owe them something is similar to someone sneaking into a movie theater and then buying some popcorn. When caught the person claims that he has the right to stay because he contributed the price of the popcorn. That price doesn’t cover admission. In any case, it’s the theater, not the customer, who sets the terms of entry.
This article maintains that illegal aliens have done many necessary jobs during the Covid pandemic. At the same time, a great many Americans have been out of work. No doubt they could do many of those jobs. Giving stimulus benefits to illegal aliens sends a message of welcome. It gives them the impression that we really aren’t serious about enforcing our laws, or that they even mean much. This article implies that we owe gratitude to illegal immigrants because they’re working here.. The reality is that they don’t come because they love us and want to serve us. They come because they love our money. That motive should not elicit gratitude.
More and more it is becoming clear that illegal alien advocates are not really loyal Americans. How could they be when their obvious agenda is to subvert our rule of law and blur the distinction between citizens and noncitizens? A foreign enemy could hardly be more sinister.