Some Democrats are demanding that stimulus payments as part of the coronavirus response include illegal immigrants — part of an ongoing effort to eliminate all barriers to public assistance for those in the country without documentation.
The $2 trillion stimulus package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump gives small business loans and assistance to individuals in the form of direct payments of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child. The latter is distributed to those with Social Security numbers.
While that includes working legal immigrants — like those here on nonimmigrant (temporary) work visas — who have Social Security numbers in order to be able to work legally in the U.S., it does not include those who are here illegally.
Illegal immigrants are not eligible for a Social Security number, so they neither pay income taxes nor file taxes via an Individual Taxpayer Identity Number (ITIN).
The IRS describes “a tax processing number only available for certain nonresident and resident aliens, their spouses, and dependents who cannot get a Social Security Number.” This includes illegal immigrants.
Democratic lawmakers have seized on that distinction to claim that “hardworking immigrants” will be left out of the payments — although working legal immigrants will not be.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who has called for “Medicare-for-all” programs that would include health care for illegal immigrants, has also complained about the limiting of benefits to those with Social Security numbers. – READ MORE
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