The Trump administration’s Labor Department has now reportedly issued a warning to states about providing unemployment benefits to illegal immigrants.
Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer sent a letter to governors, emphasizing that unemployment benefits are intended solely for eligible workers who can legally accept employment in the United States.
She stated, “Unemployment benefits are not a handout for those in our country illegally.”
Chavez-DeRemer referenced President Trump’s directives, specifically the “Preventing Illegal Aliens from Obtaining Social Security Act Benefits” memorandum and Executive Order 14218, which aims to end taxpayer support for illegal immigration.
The letter highlighted that states must utilize the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) SAVE database to verify the immigration status of benefit claimants, ensuring that illegal immigrants do not access unemployment benefits.
She also instructed the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to remind state unemployment insurance administrators to implement this verification process for all claims filed by individuals who indicate they are not U.S. citizens.
Noncompliance could result in the loss of federal funding, specifically Title III unemployment insurance administrative grants.
In a related context, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would also take action against illegal immigrants accessing food assistance programs like SNAP.
Rollins stated, “To allow those who broke our laws by entering the United States illegally to receive these benefits is outrageous.”
The Trump administration has previously threatened to withhold federal funding from states that do not comply with various federal mandates, exemplified by ongoing disputes with states like Maine over adherence to Title IX rules and other federal laws.
This approach underscores the administration’s commitment to curbing illegal immigration and associated benefits.
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