California Ignites Outrage by Opening Up Relief Funding for Illegal Immigrants
California on Monday began doling out state tax dollars to illegal immigrants who can claim they have hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state has a $75 million fund for illegal immigrants that will pay $500 per person or up to $1,000 per household, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The state projects that 150,000 illegal immigrants will be served by the project, which was announced last month by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Illegal immigrants are largely ineligible for federal coronavirus relief funds, according to The New York Times, which led the Democratic governor to create a fund for them.
The state money is one part of the effort to build a $125 million pot of money to support illegal immigrants in the state.
A coalition of private groups is seeking to raise $50 million for illegal immigrants who are not supported by any other funding.
Demand for the cash was so intense on Monday that California’s coronavirus disaster relief website crashed for a few hours, according to The Fresno Bee.
The $75 million taxpayer-funded giveaway had been opposed by the conservative nonprofit group Judicial Watch, which last week filed suit in an attempt to block the plan.
“The governor has no legal authority on his own to spend state taxpayer money for cash payments to illegal aliens, and coronavirus doesn’t give him or any other politician a pass to violate the law,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement, according to Fox News.
The payments made many people furious:
We went to the California Supreme Court to stop this, because it violates state and federal law and constitution, but the court allowed it to proceed. Remember our government’s priorities as this shutdown, and your misery, continues in California. #illegal https://t.co/iPlkev0UBE
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) May 18, 2020
https://t.co/GVzWc3oEdq There are Americans who have not received a stimulus check, or unemployment check from california, and here Gavin Newsom is illlegally taking your hard earned money you paid in taxes and giving it to illegal aliens! This has to
stop! #RecallGavinNewsom !!— VeryCoolThings4U (@VeryCoolThings4) May 16, 2020
Gov Newsom’s decision to allocate taxpayer funds to California’s illegal immigrant population is a slap in the face to U.S. citizens who are also struggling with the shutdown, as well as a violation of his office. He should be recalled immediately. https://t.co/H2VPgHZrYl
— James P. Bradley (R) CA-33 (@BradleyCongress) May 19, 2020
California: where illegal immigrants have more rights than American citizens. #FreeCalifornia
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) May 12, 2020
“Instead of meeting these urgent needs, Governor Newsom has chosen to irresponsibly pursue a left-wing path and unilaterally secured $125 million for undocumented immigrants,” California State Senate Republican Minority Leader Shannon Grove said last month, according to KESQ.
An advocate for illegal immigrants said they need the help.
“Prior to this crisis, we had individuals not wanting to see the doctor, not taking care of their health because of this administration’s anti-immigrant attacks,” Samuel Molina of Mi Familia Vota told KFSN.
“And this pandemic has only exacerbated the situation.”
“What I would say to those who oppose thus executive order is that I would encourage them to really educate themselves on how undocumented individuals contribute to our economy,” Molina said.
Some advocates have said the funding is not enough to help all of the state’s estimated 2 million illegal immigrants.
“In the best-case scenario, these funds would reach 1 in 10 people,” Unai Montes-Irueste, director of communications for United Ways of California, told the San Jose Mercury News.
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