U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, spoke out against non-citizens receiving government benefits during a television appearance Monday.
Tuberville appeared on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow,” where he claimed undocumented immigrants are receiving benefits from federal programs such as Social Security and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.
“Well, illegals [are] on Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security,” Tuberville told host Larrry Kudlow. “Everything that goes along with people that […] are sitting around at home, watching ‘The View’ on television, getting SNAP cards, food stamps and on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid—that’s got to be over with.”
“Our country is not gonna make it. We cannot afford for that to happen, and President Trump is all about that. That’s what the House is pushing very hard,” he continued. “We cannot afford to take care of the world. Let’s take care of the people in this country first, and then we might be able to help outside our borders.”
While non-citizens who are legal permanent residents may receive Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, both programs’ coverage does not extend to undocumented immigrants who aren’t lawfully allowed to be in the U.S.
Qualified non-citizens include green card holders, as well as refugees, asylum recipients and parolees, including Cuban and Haitian entrants legally allowed to reside in the U.S.
Social Security Numbers and retirement benefits are generally only available to non-citizens authorized to work in the U.S. If eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, legally present non-citizens may be eligible for Medicare as well.
Tuberville’s comments came as the Trump administration announced an investigation into California’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, a state program providing monthly cash benefits to a select amount of aging, blind or disabled non-citizens whose immigration status makes them ineligible for Social Security benefits.
The investigation began with a subpoena issued to CAPI from Immigrations and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation field office, requesting records from CAPI administrator, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, “to determine if ineligible illegal aliens received Supplemental Security Income” from SSA between January 2021 and the present.
“The Trump Administration is working together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
According to the California Department of Social Services, however, CAPI is completely funded by the state of California and is unavailable for most undocumented immigrants.
U.S. House Republicans have proposed an array of spending cuts for Medicaid totaling at least $880 billion alongside roughly $4.5 trillion in tax breaks.
Legislation released by the Energy and Commerce Committee on Sunday includes demanding able-bodied adults aged 19 to 64 without dependents must work at least 80 hours a month or perform 80 hours of community service a month to be eligible.
House Republicans have also proposed cuts to SNAP they say will save the federal government roughly $300 billion.
Reforms proposed by the House Agriculture Committee include making states pay more of the program’s administrative costs, cutting the National Education and Obesity Prevention Program, changing work requirements to be eligible for the program and forcing states to pay part of SNAP benefits based on their payment error rates.
House Republicans’ budget proposals have drawn criticism in Alabama from U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., who have filed the Bridge to Medicaid Act, which would expand Medicaid access to 100,000 additional Alabamians.
“My constituents in Alabama’s 7th Congressional District simply cannot afford these cuts, which will drive up costs and kick people off their health care,” Sewell said of House Republicans’ budget proposal. “Some of my Republican colleagues have come out against these cuts. If they are serious, they should join me in forcing an up-or-down vote on the Hands Off Medicaid and SNAP Act and protect these vital programs.”
Currently in Alabama, to be eligible for Medicaid an individual must receive a monthly income of $987 or less, or $1,470 for a couple.
In order to receive SNAP benefits in the state, each able-bodied adult between 18 and 49 in a household must work at least 30 hours weekly. Individuals in a one-person household must not receive a monthly gross income exceeding $1,473 and a net income of $1,133.
Able bodied adults without dependents must meet additional requirements for eligibility.
