The DOJ Must Not Make Payments to Illegal Immigrants

According to the Wall Street Journal, President Biden's Department of Justice is proposing the United States government pay $450,000 to illegal immigrants who were separated from their children under the previous Administration's policies, for the mental health trauma they incurred. I have no doubt that it's traumatic for small children to be separated from their parents, but the fact of the matter is, these parents broke the law, and they shouldn't be rewarded for doing so.

As the Biden Administration looks to increase taxes on American citizens to pay for its outrageous spending on social programs such as a civilian climate police, federally run pre-school, and federally funded abortions, it's simultaneously trying to pay outrageous sums to law-breakers. It's just plain insulting to the American people.

Even more disturbing is the lack of engagement from our President on the issue. In a recent press conference, President Joe Biden said the reports of such payments were "garbage" and would never happen. In a follow up press conference, the White House press office said President Biden was "comfortable" with settling with families if it saves taxpayer dollars and pays for the sins of the previous Administration.

The American Civil Liberties Union also countered Biden's claim saying he "may not have been fully briefed about the actions of his very own Justice Department." This should be terrifying. Our Republic depends on our Commander-in-Chief having full awareness of his Administration's actions and their consequences. I hope he was quickly informed. But, the fact remains that his initital reaction – that the report was "garbage" – was one hundred percent correct. It is garbage.

That's why I cosponsored a bill with 137 House Republicans to block this reported plan and prohibit the U.S. Attorney General from making any settlement payments to illegal immigrants that directly arise from their violation of our immigration laws. I hope this bill will be seriously considered by my Democratic colleagues for the sake of hardworking American families who are trying to survive our struggling economy and who should never see illegal behavior rewarded. As we battle a crisis on our southern border, payments of any kind to illegal immigrants cannot be allowed.