Connecticut Democrats have spent $1.3 billion in taxpayer funds on illegal migrants, or almost $340 for each of the 3.68 million people in the state, according to a new study.
Democrat Governor Ned Lamont has disputed the report by the conservative Yankee Institute, but the organization’s President, Carol Platt Liebau, has noted that her organization has cited the accounting of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which found that the Nutmeg State has supported about 225,000 illegal migrants of all ages incurring costs for medical care, in-state tuition and education, incarceration, and welfare payments.
“We welcome the opportunity to discuss with the Governor other ways to save taxpayer dollars,” Liebau said on the Yankee Institute’s website. “After all, $1.3 billion is a significant sum, and as he knows, some families who are here legally and some of our state’s businesses are struggling, and could certainly benefit from those resources.”
A group of state Senators released a statement noting how appalled they are at the spending.
“$1.3 billion with a ‘B.’ Does Gov. Lamont find that statistic absolutely shocking as we do?” said Republican Senators Rob Sampson, Eric Berthel, and Stephen Harding, adding:
What is he doing to analyze and reduce that number? These are common sense questions, but Gov. Lamont is already on record stating that all illegal aliens are ‘welcome’ in Connecticut. Even the most violent. So, overburdened taxpayers here in deep blue Connecticut will continue to fork over $1.3 billion annually as long as Democrats are in charge at the State Capitol.
GOP senators also wondered why Lamont is dedicating so many tax dollars to helping illegal migrants have access to legal advice, buy cars, and even start businesses and get home loans.
The state’s Republican Party also blasted Gov. Lamont’s spending on migrants, and said that taking $1.3 billion away from solving state issues is a disservice to legal citizens, especially while legal citizens are falling behind.
“$1.3 billion dollars would go a long way to solving so many problems in Connecticut, yet Governor Lamont and Democrats would rather exacerbate those problems by taking our tax dollars and supporting programs that do not benefit the people paying those taxes,” said Connecticut Republican Chairman Ben Proto.
“This is all the more alarming considering the absurdly high cost of living in Connecticut due to the failed economic policies of local, state, and national Democrats. We have one of the country’s highest electric costs and we have among the highest property taxes on real estate. Connecticut families are struggling, and every dime that goes to illegal immigrants is money that could have been used to provide our citizens with economic relief,” he added.
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