Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) introduced legislation on Tuesday that would set a 25-year moratorium on immigration from Somalia, citing a failure to assimilate in the United States as well as the rampant abuse of federal benefits programs and fraud.
“Mass Somali immigration makes the United States weaker, poorer and erodes social trust,” Gill said in a written statement to Breitbart News about his legislation, the Somalia Immigration Moratorium Act.
“The sole aim of our immigration system is to benefit American citizens, not facilitate mass migration from corrupt, failed societies. The recent fraud scandal in Minnesota highlights the acute dangers of unchecked immigration. A Somalia immigration moratorium puts the American people first, restores our national sovereignty, protects taxpayers and supports public safety.”
Gill introduced his legislation to amend section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar immigration relief for certain citizens of Somalia for 25 years, while preserving existing lawful status and American treaty obligations. The legislation would be consistent with President Donald Trump’s Proclamation 10998, Proclamation 10949, and Executive Order 13769. The legislation would codify Trump’s Proclamation 10998.
The moratorium would not apply to those in the country before the enactment of the legislation, lawful permanent residents, and diplomatic or international organization visas.
More than 70 million immigrants have come to the United States since the enactment of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act.
The Somali community has become a focal point of abuse of federal benefits programs, to the tune of billions of dollars. Roughly $9 billion in fraud involving members of the Somali community in Minnesota has plagued the state.
Outside of the fraud controversies that have enraptured the national media, the Somali community has overwhelmingly benefited from American welfare programs. This includes:
- 81 percent of Somali immigrant households are on welfare.
- 73 percent of Somalis are on Medicaid.
- 54 percent of Somalis are on food stamps, more formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Enacting the legislation would pause immigration from Somalia to bring immigration policy more aligned with national security, fiscal responsibility, and national interest.
In mid-January, the Trump administration moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Somalis living in the country.
“Temporary means temporary. Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
“Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first,” she added.
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