America First Act: Locks Down Benefits for Non-Citizens, Squeezes Aid Programs

The America First Act is a sweeping piece of legislation that significantly restricts access to a wide range of federal benefits and programs for non-citizens. It touches everything from healthcare and housing to education and even emergency assistance, aiming to prioritize U.S. citizens and significantly reduce government spending on programs that currently serve non-citizens. This bill essentially rewrites the rules on who qualifies for what, and it's going to have a ripple effect across the country.

No Benefits for You!

The core of this bill is about tightening eligibility for federal public benefits. It targets the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), a key piece of legislation governing welfare and benefits. Specifically, Section 2 drastically narrows the definition of who qualifies as a "qualified alien," removing entire categories of people previously eligible, including certain parolees (Section 2). This means fewer people will be eligible for programs covered by PRWORA. For example, a refugee family who previously qualified for certain temporary assistance might find themselves cut off under these new rules.

Healthcare, Housing, Head Start: All Impacted

This isn't just about welfare; it's a broad-spectrum change. Section 4 directly limits access to Medicaid, Medicare, and even Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for individuals with parole status, DACA recipients, those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), asylum seekers, and those with deportation deferrals. Imagine a young adult brought to the U.S. as a child, now working and paying taxes, but unable to get affordable health insurance because of their DACA status – that's the kind of real-world impact this bill could have.

Section 5 tackles housing assistance, restricting access to various programs and guaranteed loans for non-citizens. Section 3 makes children ineligible for the Head Start program if the child is not a U.S. citizen or refugee, and if a parent is an alien unlawfully present in the US. This affects early childhood education access for vulnerable kids. Section 12 applies similar restrictions to the WIC program and free/reduced-price school meals.

Tax Credits and FEMA Funds

Section 6 changes the rules for the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, requiring both the taxpayer and any qualifying child to be a U.S. citizen or lawfully present, excluding various categories of non-citizens. This could mean a significant financial hit for families who previously relied on these credits. Section 7 prohibits FEMA from using funds to support certain non-federal groups assisting migrants, including the Shelter and Services Program, and any program that assists aliens unlawfully present in the US.

Sanctuary Cities Targeted, Haitian Immigrants Specifically Affected

Section 9 takes aim at "sanctuary jurisdictions," cutting their Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) funding by 50% if they're deemed to be obstructing federal immigration law enforcement. Section 10 specifically targets Haitian immigrants, limiting refugee resettlement services and other assistance by removing references to "Haitian entrants" in various laws. Section 13 restricts the use of Community Development Block Grant funds and prohibits tax-exempt organizations from using federal funding to assist certain categories of non-citizens.

Verification is Key

Finally, Section 11 makes it clear: no federal benefits until immigration status is verified, with a 30-day limit for individuals to provide proof. This puts the onus on individuals to prove their eligibility and creates a potential administrative bottleneck. Section 14 instructs agency heads to create new rules and guidelines to implement all of these changes. The bottom line? This bill fundamentally reshapes how the U.S. handles benefits and assistance for non-citizens, with potentially far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities across the country.