David Jaroslav, the State and Local Legislative Manager of the Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), observed that in the 2021 legislative session the New York State Legislature “has provided illegal aliens with a host of benefits, privileges and protections, while citizens and legal immigrants suffer under some of the highest taxes and regulatory burdens in the country and crime skyrockets.”
The largest handout to illegal aliens was the $2 billion “Excluded Workers Fund”, which gives illegal aliens cash payments of roughly $16,000. Jaroslav noted this fund was “proposed by the legislature as retroactive unemployment assistance or as ‘stimulus’ needed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.”Such funds were allocated toward illegal aliens despite federal law explicitly prohibiting them from working in the US.
In addition, federal stimulus bills barred illegal aliens from federal taxpayer dollars. Regardless, New York Democrat leadership pushed the bill through via the state’s budget process despite the opposition they faced from all Republicans and a substantial number of Democrats.
On top of the $2 billion stimulus package, the legislature greenlit $2.4 billion in “rental assistance. According to Jaroslav, the “rental assistance” bill “authorized payments of up to twelve months of back rent and utility bills. Eligibility was based on earning 80 percent or less of median income, regardless of immigration status. Individuals who pay more than 30 percent of their monthly income toward housing could qualify for an additional three months of benefits.”
