Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee told Newsmax that human traffickers are "receiving benefits" and government-subsidized housing under the Biden administration.
During a Tuesday appearance on "Spicer & Co.," Blackburn explained that she was proposing legislation to stop illegal immigrants engaged in the trafficking of humans and fentanyl from obtaining government services.
"We learned that many people who are trafficking and working with the cartels ... that they live in government housing, that they are receiving benefit checks, and that they are continuing to receive those benefits after they have been apprehended and booked," Blackburn stated.
"So, our legislation would cut off those benefits immediately," she said of the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Traffickers Act. "It would remove them from government housing, it would stop those checks."
Blackburn further emphasized that it is important the federal government sends a message "that if you are trafficking people, trafficking drugs, and you are caught, and you are jailed, that you are not going to receive taxpayer-paid benefits."
In a previous statement to Newsmax, the senator argued her bill would ensure "hardworking American taxpayers — already crushed by inflation — are not forced to fund the lifestyles of offenders who are making our country more dangerous."
Fox News noted that the legislation specifically prohibits anyone charged with drug or human trafficking at U.S. international borders from receiving welfare; Social Security; public housing; and any retirement, health, or disability benefit.
Suspects who are later acquitted or have their charges dropped would be eligible for back pay of benefits, the network said of Blackburn's proposal.
It comes as Customs and Border Protection officials have reported over 1,072,000 total enforcement interactions in 2023 thus far. Last year, the agency broke records with 2,766,582 total border apprehensions.
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!