Illegals Foregoing Food Stamps Over Deportation Fears

Yahoo News ran a very interesting article last week about what they claim is a recent uptick in illegal aliens declining food stamp aid out of fears of deportation, naturally due to President Trump’s policy-leanings when it comes to illegal immigration.

The post was light on stats but heavy on emotion as it wove tragic tales of hard-working illegals being forced to choose between food and deportation.

A crackdown on illegal immigration under President Donald Trump has driven some poor people to take a drastic step: opt out of federal food assistance because they are fearful of deportation, activists and immigrants say…

…A 52-year-old woman interviewed in New York City, a Mexican in the country illegally, told The Associated Press she was motivated in January to drop a benefit that was supporting her teenage daughter, a U.S. citizen, purely because she was afraid of being in the food stamp system, which requires applicants to state their immigration status.

“I had been told that it’s OK to apply for food stamps. But, for the moment, I don’t want to take any risks,” said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of her immigration status and was introduced to AP through an organization that helps immigrants, the Mexican Coalition of the South Bronx.

“I need it but I have peace of mind because my case is closed,” said the woman, who makes $8.50 an hour cleaning houses and lives in small apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

A Honduran immigrant and single mother with one child in Silver Spring, Maryland, decided not to renew the food stamps she received when they expired in January. “We fear deportation,” said the 29-year-old immigrant, who also spoke on condition of anonymity and was introduced to AP through a local nonprofit. She normally earns about $350 per week answering phones at a travel agency but has been working extra hours cleaning homes to make up for the loss of about $150 per month in food stamps.

The idea that people are actually opting out of food stamps over deportation actually boosts the idea that our welfare programs are bloated and wasteful. Since I haven’t seen any recent stories about illegal immigrants dropping dead in the streets from starvation it is safe to assume they’re finding a way to feed themselves. Yes, it might be a struggle but there is no constitutional right to never struggle. Is their struggle here in America worse than their struggle in whatever country they fled?

Welfare isn’t just a form of financial aid, it’s a state of mind. When the money was there and trouble-free, people who are otherwise healthy and able to earn a living took advantage of it. When the money came with certain standards suddenly many of those people are finding alternatives to the free help. They’re helping themselves. How many other legal citizens on food stamps might be inclined to earn their grocery budget through other means if they were held to stricter standards?

The Department of Agriculture administers the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and their own guidelines are contradictory. While requirements  for qualifying for SNAP include being a legal resident or refugee…

…if you dig long enough you can find a statement in PDF form that reassures illegals that they will not be reported or deported for receiving food stamp benefits.

This is a government agency blatantly flouting the law of the land, rewarding law-breakers and contradicting the mission of a fellow government agency, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

It is no wonder that average, hard-working Americans are feeling taxed beyond their abilities and financially stressed beyond reason. Many of are bearing the burden of their own families and communities as well as that of people who obviously can survive without taxpayer money but choose not to.

Reading the Yahoo article, it isn’t hard to understand why so many people have such vocal problems with the current state of immigration in our country. Americans feel left behind by their own government, which consistently takes the side of illegal aliens who flout our laws, avail themselves of benefits they don’t need and don’t pay for, and then ungratefully shame and ridicule those Americans who say they can give no more.

The REAL State of the Union

The economy is getting stronger, but wages are still rather stagnant. A tax cut for working Americans might change that consumers would likely increase spending, leading business to expand. The more needed labor, the higher wages will go. If President Trump announces a big expansion of infrastructure construction, that will stimulate the job market as well. So across-the-board tax cuts and spending on roads, etc. is what’s needed right now. Of course that’ll drive up the national debt, something I’ll talk about shortly.

On national security, the president is committed to building up the military. It’s necessary, but must be done methodically. Trump is essentially correct when he says that the US has squandered trillions of dollars in the Middle East. What have we achieved there? Islamic terrorist groups are still a threat. Millions of refugees need care. Iran remains an enemy. Iraq and Afghanistan are in chaos. Two presidents tried and failed to bring stability to the Middle East using American blood and treasure. The goal was noble, but the plans flawed (to say the least). The truth is that President Bush’s confrontation and President Obama’s retreat didn’t make things better in that brutal region. Can Donald Trump do better? No one knows. 

Also on the security front, there will be a partial wall on the southern border (something that I’ve talked about before) and increased enforcement on immigration law. The wall is largely a symbol. The enforcement is a message that the president won’t accept open borders and violators of US law. Immigration policy must be enforced methodically, with explanations to the American people about why things are happening. Open border and sanctuary cities supporters have the media with them, so the president has to explain how his policies benefits the US. He should also be humane in this area. Desperate, hardworking people don’t deserve harsh punishment.

Thus, Congress needs to get off of its collective butt and pass updated immigration laws. The issue is so intense that at Trump’s address, Democrats brought undocumented people as guests and President Trump invited families whose loved ones had been killed by illegal alien criminals.

After immigration, the economy, and security-terrorism, the problems are a lot smaller. Except for the debt. It will continue to rise well past $20 trillion until health care and Social Security spending are redefined. Trump knows that he has to run up even more debt to accomplish his agenda. Cutting some programs won’t balance things out. Trump hopes that prosperity will eventually bring in more tax money. But that’s way far down the road. To bring down the debt, Social Security and Medicare payments must be restructured for younger Americans. But President Trump wants no part in that. 

Finally, if Trump is successful in raising wages, the culture war stuff will begin to go his way. Socialists like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren will be crushed if capitalism makes a comeback. Americans are tired of left-wing totalitarianism. Most of us have had it with extremism on both sides. 

The truth is America remains a citadel of opportunity and common sense views held by regular people. But that profile has been smothered by big government zealots, ideological fanatics, and a media that promotes PC culture. If Trump’s vision brings increased prosperity and security, he will trounce his enemies. If economic opportunity rises in America, all of the class warfare B.S. will be harder to sell. But in order for that to happen, American needs to be unleashed.