Missouri Senator links welfare debate to new DOJ crackdown on states shielding illegal immigrants
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Missouri U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt is tying immigration and welfare spending together as the Trump administration increases pressure on states that protect people here illegally.
Schmitt posted statistics Tuesday claiming large shares of Mexican, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan and Haitian populations in the United States rely on welfare.
The post comes days after the Justice Department issued a new interpretation of federal welfare law that could force states to choose between federal funding and sanctuary-style policies.
DOJ says states receiving money through programs including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Supplemental Security Income must ensure state agencies report people they know are in the country illegally to DHS.
The interpretation reverses a Clinton-era policy that largely limited the reporting requirement to agencies directly administering those benefits.
Under the Trump administration’s interpretation, the requirement could apply more broadly across state government, including law enforcement and motor vehicle agencies.
Schmitt quickly praised the change, saying sanctuary jurisdictions could lose federal funding if they refuse to comply.
The Justice Department says the policy will not be applied retroactively, but states could face consequences going forward if they fail to meet the reporting requirements.
His Tuesday post did not distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, but it fits a broader push by Schmitt and the Trump administration to link immigration enforcement with access to public benefits.
