Washington Examiner
Opposition widespread to giving illegal immigrants a child tax credit
By Paul Bedard
In the latest sign of anger over President Joe Biden’s open borders agenda that has welcomed a record number of illegal immigrants, the public is turning against granting child tax credits to those who crossed the border illegally.
And not only do a majority of likely voters oppose granting a $1,800 tax credit to illegal immigrants even if they pay no taxes, but they don’t favor the payoff even if the child is a legal U.S. citizen.
The results of the survey provided to Secrets from the Center for Excellence in Polling demonstrate the concerns people have over the Trump-era credit awaiting a Senate vote and GOP concerns it includes a loophole to push money to illegal immigrant parents.
While giving a child tax credit to illegal immigrant parents might not have been controversial in the past, the surge in opposition to unlawful border crossings due to Biden’s wide-open door has turned the country against it and led to proposals in the Senate to stop it.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), for example, has offered up the “Safeguarding American Workers’ Benefits Act” to close a loophole that allows illegal immigrants to claim federal child tax credits.
“Let’s face facts. Our national debt is unsustainable and only getting worse. Combine that with the taxpayer-funded benefits that are and will be claimed by the waves of illegal immigrants flooding across the border, and we’re faced with the duty of finding areas where we can begin stemming government spending,” Hyde-Smith said in a statement.
The poll showed strong support for plans such as hers.
When asked, “Should illegal immigrants be able to receive the child tax credit?”, 72% said no and 22% said yes.
When asked, “Should illegal immigrants with children who are citizens receive it?”, 56% said no and 35% said yes.
And 61% said the credit should not go to parents who pay no tax.
The survey was conducted by the polling shop of the Foundation for Government Accountability, which considers the child tax credit extension to illegal immigrants as a welfare program.
“A wide open border colliding with a wide open welfare program makes for a perfect storm of financial and social dysfunction. It would create another Washington-sized problem that American families can’t afford,” Tarren Bragdon, the president and CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability, said.
Bragdon also told us: “Expanding the child tax credit might provide a temporary political sugar high. But any government program that incentivizes welfare over work and rewards illegal entry into the country will harm families much more than it will help. Senate Republicans backed away from the bipartisan border deal after public outcry on illegal immigration. Our polling shows they should back away from this welfare expansion as well if they want to remain in step with voters.”