Written by Michael Palomba
Governor Gavin Newsom’s coronavirus response has been decent for the most part, but that changed last week.
Newsom announced that he would be creating a program to give payments to illegal aliens in the state. He said that $125 million has been allocated and $75 million of that is state funding. Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees committed to raising the remaining $50 million.
Around 150,000 illegal immigrants will be receiving $500 cash payments, with a $1,000 cap per household. This is ridiculous on so many levels, and I don’t even understand how it’s legal.
First off, any 18-24 year old who is claimed as a dependent was left out of the federal stimulus payments. Why isn’t Newsom offering American college students money before catering to illegal immigrants?
Additionally, illegal immigration is estimated to cost the U.S. hundreds of millions annually. Why is more taxpayer money being given to people who already drain public resources at a much higher rate than they pay into them?
Is this a decision that most Americans would support? No, of course not.
This is Newsom pandering to illegal immigrants for political points. During a crisis, the governor is trying to benefit himself politically. Americans—and Californians especially—should be the first and only priority right now, and always.
Illegal immigration is a crime, plain and simple. Newsom is literally giving our tax money to criminals in the midst of a pandemic where 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment. I don’t understand how this is allowed, but I certainly hope it will be challenged in court or stopped by the Trump Administration.
