The Trump administration has informed tribal and territorial agencies along with local governments it is expanding its review of federal spending with a goal of eliminating welfare subsidies going to illegal aliens in their jurisdictions.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent the March 10 letter from Andrew Gradison, Acting HHH Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, to inform territorial and tribal leaders and other parties the administration is reviewing various programs for children and families to make sure the services are going to legal recipients.
“Illegal aliens have already violated United States law and we will not be spending taxpayer dollars to take care of their needs,” the letter states. “President Trump’s Executive Order reaffirms this important national policy and puts the needs of Americans first. To implement the President’s Executive Order, ACF will use all available legal authority to end any incentives in human services programs that encourage illegal immigration.”
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The letter goes on to report that ACF is reviewing public benefit programs to make sure they align with the president’s orders. Gradison added that after the review, the department will “will also work to ensure that all information about program eligibility is accurate and does not serve as an incentive to encourage illegal migration.”
Gradison also said that going forward ACF will also improve verification of eligible recipients.
“Nearly three decades after the enactment of welfare reform, the promise of that law has been eroded. That ends now,” Gradison said.
“ACF will take all necessary measures to improve eligibility verification, deter fraud, and enforce the law by revoking grants to organizations that distribute benefits to illegal aliens in contravention of federal or state law,” the acting secretary said.
The effort is in line with the Trump administration’s twin policies of cutting wasteful spending and limiting illegal immigration.
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