As they promote inhumane border policies that are incentivizing record levels of illegal immigration and boosting cartels, Democrats are also asking American taxpayers to fund living expenses for migrants who’ve unlawfully crossed the border. Not only are migrants breaking American laws, they are being rewarded with extensive taxpayer support for hotels and lodging when they arrive. Democrats say that isn’t enough.
A new House bill seeks to use $50 million from taxpayers to supplement living expenses for illegal migrants being bused to D.C. by Republican officials, whose states are overwhelmed amid surging border crossings under the Biden administration. The emergency appropriations bill introduced last week by D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton would pump more money into FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program for assisting illegal immigrants, adding on to the $150 million already dedicated to supporting this effort at the expense of the American taxpayer. Reports show at least $65 million of this has already been spent.
Norton pointed to the relocation of illegal migrants from southern states to D.C. as reason for this assistance. A press release from the office of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last week stated that Texas has bused more than 7,000 illegal immigrants to D.C. since April. Arizona has followed the direction of the Lone Star State, busing those who cross into their state illegally up to the District too.
In a statement, Norton claimed these governors “are exploiting and harming desperate and vulnerable people fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries for political gain” and insisted “more funding is needed to assist these families.”
Activists who believe these illegal immigrants aren’t receiving enough aid complain they are “only” given “a hotel room and three meals a day.” “While migrants have expressed gratitude for shelter,” DCist reported, “their advocates say they’re not receiving the care or resources typically offered to unhoused residents in the city,” such as case managers and counseling.
Illegal migrants have also reported “negative experiences” at locations where they are sheltered, including the NoMa Hampton Inn. They claim to face “stringent restrictions” due to part of the hotel being utilized as a quarantine shelter for homeless residents of the District and have reported “discriminatory treatment from hotel security that has resulted in at least one police complaint.”
Up to 15 percent of these illegal migrants choose to reside in the District indefinitely, “particularly because they cannot legally work due to their immigration status.”
In addition to efforts to make taxpayers further fund these expenses, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine announced earlier this month that his office will offer up to $50,000 in grants to volunteer organizations supporting the needs of the illegal migrants.
As The Federalist has documented extensively, Democrats’ border policies incentivize migrants to take deadly journeys through Central America and Mexico, padding the pockets of cartels and, ultimately, draining funds from American taxpayers. Norton’s bill would only increase those dangerous incentives, forcing Americans to pay more as more people break the country’s laws.
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Source: The Federalist
