Secretary of Labor Warns States Could Lose Federal Funding If Illegal Immigrants Get Unemployment Benefits

The decision comes after the DHS announced a comprehensive optimization of an immigrant database to verify non-citizen status nationwide.

Immigrants who illegally crossed into the United States await processing by U.S. Border Patrol agents outside of San Diego on Dec. 5, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer warned states of losing federal funding if they fail to comply with President Donald Trump’s directives barring illegal immigrants from receiving tax dollars intended for unemployed citizens and legal residents, according to an April 25 statement issued by the Department of Labor.

“Our nation’s unemployment benefits exist solely for workers who are eligible to receive them,” Chavez-DeRemer wrote in a letter addressed to state governors. “To qualify for unemployment, one must be able and available to work, actively seeking work, and be legally authorized to accept employment in the United States. Unemployment benefits are not a handout for those in our country illegally.”