by David Hawkins
House Republicans have pushed through legislation aimed at deporting illegal aliens involved in welfare fraud, advancing the measure over near-unified opposition from Democrats.
The House voted 231-186 to approve the Deporting Fraudsters Act, with 186 Democrats voting against the bill.
The legislation seeks to strengthen immigration enforcement tied to fraud involving taxpayer-funded programs.
GOP Says Bill Targets Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars
The legislation, introduced by Rep. David Taylor (R-OH), would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly define fraud as a deportable offense.
Republicans argued the measure is necessary to ensure that noncitizens who fraudulently obtain public benefits are removed from the country and barred from returning.
In a statement, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) said:
“If you admit to or you’re convicted of fraudulently receiving public benefits, you are out of here on the next plane and can never return.”
Taylor emphasized the intent behind the bill following its passage.
“It’s a no-brainer — if an illegal alien defrauds the United States or steals benefits from our nation’s most vulnerable, they should be permanently removed from our country,” Taylor said.
Democrats Argue Bill Is Unnecessary
Democrats largely opposed the legislation, arguing that existing laws already allow for the deportation of noncitizens convicted of fraud.