President Trump just took action to ease some of the significant financial burden being placed on the United States of what has been named “welfare tourism” by requiring those who sponsor legal immigrants to the United States to pay for public benefits they receive, according to The Hill.
According to a senior administration official who gave a statement to Hill.TV, the executive action would enforce existing laws passed by Congress, that they claimed were “effectively never used.”
“This executive action will dramatically curb ‘welfare tourism’ and protect U.S. benefits for U.S. families,” the official said.
“It will also ensure that immigrant sponsors cannot continue the practice of bringing in large numbers of welfare-dependent immigrants: because they will be financially liable. Congress passed these laws — but they were effectively never used. Now they will be.”
The president laid out his plan in a presidential memorandum https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/memorandum-enforcing-legal-responsibilities-sponsors-aliens/ which the president begins by stating that it is “key priority of my administration” to restore the “rule of law by ensuring that existing immigration laws are enforced.”
“The immigration laws currently require that, when an alien receives certain forms of means-tested public benefits, the government or non-government entity providing the public benefit must request reimbursement from the alien’s financial sponsor,” the memo went on.
“These laws also require that, when an alien applies for certain means-tested public benefits, the financial resources of the alien’s sponsor must be counted as part of the alien’s financial resources in determining both eligibility for the benefits and the amount of benefits that may be awarded.
Financial sponsors who pledge to financially support the sponsored alien in the event the alien applies for or receives public benefits will be expected to fulfill their commitment under law.”
The memo went on to say that an immigrant’s sponsor would be required to sign an affidavit of support, in which they pledged to financially support the alien.
