Although California is billions of dollars in debt, state lawmakers are proposing that unemployed illegal immigrants be given $300 a week for up to 20 weeks.
Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that the state deficit has grown to nearly $31.5 billion, which is about $9 billion higher than what was predicted in January.
Amidst many budget cuts being made by the state, California Democratic lawmakers are trying to push for illegal immigrants to get unemployment benefits.
Senate Bill 227, aka the ‘Safety Net for All Workers Act,’ would give illegal immigrants $300 every week for up to 20 weeks.
As the Democrat-run state experiences a major migrant surge, State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R) issued a warning that this could further incentivize migrants to come to the U.S. illegally.
In an appearance on “Fox & Friends” Wednesday, Jones told host Brian Kilmeade, “When the governor and the Democrat super-majority is sending out the message of come to California, get free money, you don’t have to work, that’s just going to draw more and more illegal immigrants to our state. And that’s the message that we’re trying to stop in its tracks right now before it spreads to the rest of the country.”
Also appearing on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday was California resident Mike Diaz, a man who immigrated to the U.S. legally. He bashed the proposal, saying, “You think that after COVID, where we paid people not to work – and that’s exactly what they did, not work – what do we think is going to happen with giving this money to illegal immigrants that are unemployed? It just doesn’t make any sense.”
“The governor has already told us… we don’t have the money,” added Diaz. “We’re already in a $31 billion deficit. We just do not have the money.”
“I hope it doesn’t happen, but you never know these days with the legislature” he continued. “This is the reason that folks, 200 plus a thousand a year are leaving California, is exactly because of all this.”
The bill’s sponsor, Senator Maria Elena Durazo (D-Calif.), defended the proposed legislation, saying, “Every day, undocumented immigrants contribute to California’s economic prosperity in agriculture, construction, clothing, and other industries. Yet immigrants continue to be shut out from California’s economic success due to unjust exclusions from the safety net.”
This bill will be reviewed by the California Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
