A bill recently passed by lawmakers in Washington state could open the door for illegal immigrants to receive cash assistance under a program designed to provide housing assistance and other essential items to certain low-income residents unable to work, critics say.
The state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature last month passed SB 5232, which has been delivered to Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson.
The bill updates provisions related to the state’s Housing and Essential Needs Referral Program (HEN), which provides assistance to low-income U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and victims of human trafficking if they can’t work due to their physical or mental condition.
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Lawmakers amended the bill to remove the eligibility requirement that recipients be “citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise residing in the United States under color of law.”
“This year seems to be the year for noncitizens,” Republican state Sen. Leonard Christian, a ranking member of the Senate Human Services Committee, told Fox News Digital. “We have no problem giving direct money, housing money to noncitizens, along with $150 million in Medicaid for noncitizens.”
“It just seems like the state is trying really hard to pick a fight with the Trump administration,” he added.
The state has set aside roughly $130 million for the HEN program in an effort to address homelessness and housing.
In a social media post, state Rep. Travis Couture also criticized SB 5232, calling it the “same budget” with “more recipients.”
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“That means our people get kicked out of line in favor of illegal immigrants,” he wrote last week. “Gov. Ferguson — veto this. It’s unfair and it’s wrong. Put our own people first!”
Ferguson hasn’t signaled whether he will sign the legislation. Fox News Digital has reached out to the sponsors of the bill and the governor’s office.
Christian characterized the government handing out funds for housing as a “gift of taxpayer dollars,” noting the money doesn’t have many “guardrails around it.” He cited his own life experience, recalling his mother once leaving him and his 12-year-old brother at home to go cross-country trucking.
“He used the money that was given to my mom to buy groceries and food for us kids, to buy marijuana and alcohol at the age of 12,” he said. “I saw first hand (the impact of) substance abuse and handing money to somebody.”
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Statewide, Democrats have favored higher taxes on businesses and the rich, which ultimately trickle down to middle- and lower-class residents and programs that benefit illegal immigrants over American citizens, Christian said.
“A lot of times, the Democratic Party thinks more with their hearts than with their head,” he said. “It’s the idea that they see a problem, and they think they can fix it.”
Republicans want to address the same issues but look at how potential solutions will affect the overall population, he said.
“They don’t get the fact that somebody else has got to pay for that crazy program,” he said. “I would certainly like to go around with a card and have fun and save the world, but who’s going to pay that Visa bill, and that’s when they don’t seem to care.”
SB 5232 was passed as the state faces a $16 billion budget shortfall. In addition, Ferguson recently signed a handful of bills to protect immigrants’ rights, including measures to allow the state to inspect private detention centers and prohibit bail bond agents from enforcing immigration laws.
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