WA diverts federal COVID funds to non-citizens
By Dan Thesman on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – A new report from the Economic Policy Innovation Center, a conservative think tank in Washington D.C., states that Washington state directing $340 million in federal COVID funds to non-citizens in the form of $1,000 checks.
The report points out that illegal immigrants who were ineligible to receive federal economic payments during the pandemic were given the checks due to their immigration status.
Washington Senate Republicans responded Tuesday to the report by posting on the social media platform, X, that “it was authorized by Legislative Democrats, Governor Jay Inslee and the Biden Administration”.
The program which began in 2020 ended last year. Washington state received $4.4 billion in funding created by the American Rescue Plan Act. The money was intended to help state and local governments with their response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington Senate Republicans believe the $340 million in COVID payments directed to non-citizens should have gone to Washington families and individuals who could have used that relief.
