This article originally appeared on WND.com
Guest by post by Bob Unruh
Report confirms recipients ‘not eligible’ for federal aid
There have been reports all across the nation of local jurisdictions misusing COVID-19 impact money distributed by the federal government, but now a report in The Federalist confirms an investigation has begun into a decision by officials in Madison, Wisconsin, to take $700,000 from that distribution and give it to illegal aliens.
The demand is from state Sen. Duey Stroebel, who said, “The decision to use pandemic relief money to assist illegal immigrants at the expense of Wisconsinites reveals the out of touch priorities of Madison politicians.”
He’s begun an open records request to review the city’s “questionable” use of federal funding.
The report explained the issue, “It appears city officials decided to do an end-around with their portion of the nearly $2 trillion in so-called ‘stimulus’ funds that were handed out — and simultaneously dumped onto the untenable U.S. debt — by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in response to the Covid pandemic.”
It documented how the Institute for Reforming Government’s Center for Investigative Oversight confirmed the city gave $700,000 from State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to illegal aliens.
The money reportedly went from the grants to various nonprofits who gave services to illegal aliens, even though they largely were “ineligible” to get direct federal or state aid.
The city had reported its projectss address “the need to support programming, services and outreach for persons in the community who are undocumented. The pandemic has had a profound impact on undocumented residents particularly around employment and housing.”
It admitted, “These residents are not eligible, in some cases, to receive direct assistance provided by federal and state governments, and have been reluctant or unable, in others, to access resources for which they are eligible.”
So, Madison officials said, they were funding agencies to “deliver direct assistance to undocumented individuals and families.”
The intermediaries included, the report said, RISE Wisconsin Inc., the Latino Academy of Workforce Development, and the Community Immigration Law Center, the report said.
The Federalist pointed out that CILC is a known “left-of-center” legal team that works to “prevent deportation of illegal immigrants.”
The city of Madison got more than $42 million plus in relief funding, of which some $24 million was used for government services. Another $22 million was for “communities … most impacted by the pandemic.”
“It is troubling to learn that the city of Madison is funneling taxpayer dollars intended to help Wisconsinites to illegal immigrants. Taxpayers need answers,” charged Jake Curtis, IRG’s general counsel. “Our team at the Center for Investigative Oversight is committed to working with our state and federal partners to bring to light answers for the hardworking taxpayers of our state.”
The report gave evidence that Democrat-led states gave out more than $500 million in COVID cash to illegals, including, sometimes, $1,000 cash handouts.
Stroebel warned, “Communities across this country are grappling with the consequences of the open border policies of the Biden/Harris administration. From the rise in fentanyl seizures at the southern border to the overwhelming of school services in Whitewater to the tragic murder of Laken Riley in Georgia, the immigration crisis is something that is impacting every state, including Wisconsin. The decision to use pandemic relief money to assist illegal immigrants at the expense of Wisconsinites reveals the out of touch priorities of Madison politicians.”
U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, of Wisconsin, blamed Biden and Democrats.
He said the “massive” spending package failed to include “clear requirements” for spending tax money.
Copyright 2024 WND News Center
The post Investigation Looking into City’s Decision to Give COVID Cash to Illegal Aliens appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
“}]]