President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order intended to identify and eliminate any federal financial benefits going to immigrants who entered the country illegally, something already prohibited existing the law.
The order, which was signed on Air Force One, directs federal agencies and departments to identify programs providing any financial benefits to those in the country illegally and to take “corrective action.”
The order also calls for improvements to systems that verify eligibility for federal benefit programs and for any individuals who improperly receive or use federal benefits to be referred to the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security.
It’s unclear how much of an impact the order will have. Noncitizens, other than refugees, are not eligible for federal assistance through various programs, including the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and cash assistance programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), according to The National Immigration Law Center.
The executive order acknowledges that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 “generally prohibits illegal aliens from obtaining most taxpayer-funded benefits.”
“My Administration will uphold the rule of law, defend against the waste of hard-earned taxpayer resources, and protect benefits for American citizens in need, including individuals with disabilities and veterans,” the order states.
The order is in line with Trump’s broader efforts to crack down on immigration and identify what he and other White House officials have decried as fraud and waste in government spending.
Trump has signed executive actions declaring a national emergency at the southern border, expanding who can be deported, sending some migrants to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and getting the military involved in border-related operations.
His administration has also frozen spending that does not align with its policies and canceled numerous federal contracts, while dismantling federal agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which provided humanitarian and financial assistance overseas to advance U.S. interests.
