Rep. Ted Budd: Illegal immigrants shouldn't get Social Security benefits
by Rep. Ted Budd
| January 29, 2020 12:00 AM
Recent numbers released by Customs and Border Protection showed that there have been 101,774 apprehensions at our southern border since last October. This continued crisis underscores the need for a border wall as well as other proactive steps to reverse any incentives that exist for immigrants to enter our country illegally.
One prominent issue we should prioritize is the thousands of cases of illegal immigrants gaining access to taxpayer-funded programs such as Social Security and obtaining benefits that should only go to citizens or those with legal status.
A report from the Immigration Reform Law Institution found that, from 2012 to 2016, there were “39 million instances where names and Social Security numbers on W-2 tax forms did not match the corresponding Social Security records.” A report such as this shows there’s no question that our current laws need to change to preserve the integrity of our Social Security system.
Another report from the Social Security Administration estimated that three out of every four illegal immigrants possess a Social Security number that does not belong to them. That is how they are able to game the system.
But the good news is that there is a solution to this problem.
I’m fighting for the No Social Security for Illegal Aliens Act alongside Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican from Alabama, which simply amends the Social Security Act to prevent illegal immigrants from collecting Social Security benefits altogether. The bill would apply to those without work authorizations, and an illegal immigrant would not be eligible to collect any credits until they have gained legal authorization. This would create a clear incentive for illegal immigrants to stop using someone else’s number fraudulently and to instead obtain a work permit as quickly as possible so they would be able to begin paying into the system legally.
Like many other Republicans in Congress, I want folks to enter our country through the legal process. Unfortunately, the system we have now is broken and encourages immigrants to find loopholes within our laws. It’s truly sad, and I believe we need to act on bills like this to help deter illegal immigrants from receiving illegitimate taxpayer resources.
While this bill will no doubt draw attacks from our Democratic friends, the idea is well within the political mainstream. In fact, a survey from Rasmussen last year found that 76% of voters believe that individuals should have to verify their legal status in the U.S. before they receive local, state, or federal services. A CNN poll last year found that 58% of people do not support giving government healthcare services to those in our country illegally.
It is common sense that taxpayer-funded federal benefits only go to citizens or those who are actively trying to become citizens. I intend to keep up the fight to secure the southern border with a wall and ensure that immigrants come to our country in a legal, merit-based way.
Rep. Ted Budd, a Republican, represents North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District.
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