Last week, New Jersey became the 10th state to offer financial aid to illegal immigrants. Along with other states like California, Texas, and Connecticut, illegal immigrants in New Jersey can now receive in-state tuition as well as taxpayer funded scholarships.
A rational person might ask several questions about this new law, like how much this new law will cost the state, whether such a law encourages more illegal immigration, and whether this law eliminates scholarship opportunities for American citizens.
These are all valid questions, but politicians and immigration activists in New Jersey and around the country don’t care. To them, American citizenship clearly means very little. They will stop at nothing to grant illegal immigrants the rights and benefits of citizens.
Many Americans understandably remain undecided on the issue of immigration. These Americans struggle to balance between wanting to show compassion to immigrants and enforcing the rule of law. To these Americans I ask: with a rising homeless population, with more than 60,000 Americans dying each year to drug overdose, and with thousands of veterans who lack health insurance, do you really believe the government should be funding the college education of illegal immigrants?
These are just a few of the issues facing the country, and they should concern every American.
Furthermore, as a student, I am particularly insulted that many states are offering financial aid to illegal immigrants. American students are struggling to pay for tuition, and student loan debt just hit $1.5 trillion. Like the aforementioned problems, although there are many causes to this, who could seriously argue that taxpayer dollars should fund illegal immigrant students while our own continue to struggle? How long before other states or the federal government follow suit with this trend?
Unfortunately, government spending for illegal immigrants isn’t just limited to financial aid in higher education. Illegal immigrants receive billions of dollars worth of healthcare treatment through federal programs like Medicaid, and they also receive billions in food programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Women Infants and Children. Additionally, thanks to a loophole in the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, illegal immigrants can receive a refundable child tax credit, which essentially takes the form of a check from the IRS. None of this accounts for state and local welfare for illegal immigrants that exist in states like California.
Since the 2016 election, the coastal elites of America have struggled to explain President Trump’s victory. They, along with their friends in the media, have resorted to cheap attacks on Americans who voted for Trump by labeling them “racist.”
I have a simpler explanation, and it’s rooted in government spending for illegal immigrants. If the elites ever wondered why the Trump voting base was fed up, this is why “America First” wasn’t just a campaign slogan to his voters. It meant putting the needs of the American people first.
If the elites continue to ignore this by implementing outrageous policies like in New Jersey, then they better expect more victories for Trump at the ballot box.
