Sponsors (5)
I'll give you the short version of this bill.
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This bill would tighten who can get federal benefits and aid based on immigration status. It bars many temporary or humanitarian status holders—such as people granted asylum, parole, temporary protected status, deferred action (including DACA), or withholding of removal—from a wide range of programs and tax credits, and it requires proof of immigration status before someone can receive certain benefits . It limits health coverage and discounts (including Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies), student aid, housing help, food assistance, and more . It would also make the recent increase in the child tax credit permanent and tighten ID and citizenship rules for both the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit; people in the statuses listed above and some employment‑based visa holders could not claim them .
The bill adds program‑by‑program limits felt in communities. It cuts federal K–12 education funds by 50% for areas the bill defines as “sanctuary jurisdictions,” and moves that money to other areas; “sanctuary” includes places that block information‑sharing about immigration status or decline detainer requests . It restricts FEMA shelter and related funding for the groups listed above and bars federal support for community health centers that provide non‑emergency care to people not lawfully present . It requires citizenship checks and adds immigration‑related rules in Head Start, WIC, and the school lunch and breakfast programs . It tightens housing aid and some home loans by requiring every household member to meet status rules and by disqualifying units or loans if certain noncitizen statuses are present . It blocks use of Community Development Block Grants and federal funds by 501(c)(3) charities to support the listed noncitizen groups, and it removes special aid eligibility for Haitian entrants under refugee programs .
Adds new section 8549D to Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII of the ESEA establishing 50% funding reductions and reallotment/reallocation requirements for States and political subdivisions determined to be 'sanctuary jurisdictions.'
Adds a new subsection prohibiting recipients of grants under this title from using grant funds to provide monetary contributions or in-kind goods or services to specified categories of non-citizens.
Adds a new subsection (s) to section 501 disallowing tax-exempt status for certain organizations described in subsection (c)(3) if they use Federal funding to provide monetary support, services, or in-kind contributions to specified categories of non-citizens.
Adds a new paragraph (4) to 42 U.S.C. 1786(d) establishing citizenship requirements that make an infant or child ineligible for WIC when the child is not a U.S. citizen or admitted refugee and a parent/guardian is in specified immigration statuses.
Adds a new paragraph (16) to 42 U.S.C. 1758(b) establishing citizenship requirements that make a child ineligible for free or reduced price lunch and for free or reduced price breakfast (under 42 U.S.C. 1773) when the child is not a U.S. citizen or admitted refugee and a parent/guardian is in specified immigration statuses.
Modifies subsection (b)(1) by removing specific exception subparagraphs and renumbering an existing subparagraph.
Alters the numbered paragraph structure of the definition of 'qualified alien' by removing certain paragraphs and redesignating others.
Removes a paragraph that treated aliens paroled into the United States for less than one year as ineligible and makes minor punctuation edits.
Alters clause and clause numbering in the limited-eligibility provision by removing specified clauses and renumbering others.
Removes specified subparagraphs and redesignates later subparagraphs in the five-year limited-eligibility provision.
And 22 more affected sections...
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced January 28, 2025 by Jodey Cook Arrington · Last progress January 28, 2025
America First Act
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
