Illegal Immigrants on Terror Watchlist Received Medicaid, Unemployment Insurance: DOGE

Many of them also received student loans, tax refunds, and food stamps, according to the Department of Government Efficiency.

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

Numerous illegal immigrants with terrorist or criminal links who entered the United States under the previous administration received several government benefits, according to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“Under the Biden administration, it was routine for Border Patrol to admit aliens into the United States with no legal status and minimal screening,” DOGE said in an April 11 post on social media platform X.

According to the post, which was republished by The White House, the Customs and Border Patrol has so far identified “a subset of 6.3k individuals paroled into the United States since 2023 on the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center watchlist or with criminal records.” An immigration parole allows an illegal immigrant to temporarily live and potentially work in the country without having to fear getting deported.

“These paroles have since been terminated with immediate effect. Despite having no other legal status, paroled aliens are able to file for work authorization and receive social security numbers,” the post stated.

All the 6,300 paroled illegal immigrants with terrorism or criminal histories carried a social security number, DOGE said. Out of these, 905 individuals collected Medicaid, totaling $276,000 in payouts. Forty-one received unemployment insurance, collecting $42,000 worth of benefits.

In addition, 22 got federal student loans worth $280,000; 409 received $751,000 in tax refunds in just 2024 alone; and many were recipients of food stamp benefits, according to DOGE.

DOGE’s report comes as the Trump administration has taken various measures cracking down on illegal immigration and targeting those with terror ties.

On Feb. 19, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to identify federally funded programs offering financial assistance to illegal immigrants. The order asked agencies to ensure that such funds, granted to states and localities, are not used to “support sanctuary policies or assist illegal immigration.”

“With this Executive Order, President Trump is ensuring taxpayer resources are used to protect the interests of American citizens, not illegal aliens,” said a White House fact sheet.

This week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will start reviewing social media activity of immigration applicants for anti-Semitic content, including support for terror outfits such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.

“There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers, and we are under no obligation to admit them or let them stay here,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

She added that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has made it clear that “anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-Semitic violence and terrorism ... are not welcome here.”

Targeting Illegal Immigration

The issue of terrorism-linked illegal immigrants entering the United States has been a concern among lawmakers.

In August, the House Judiciary Committee and its Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement published an interim report revealing that under the Biden administration, “at least 99 potential terrorists” were released into the United States since January 2021.

Between fiscal years 2021 and 2023, Border Patrol at the southwest border encountered several illegal immigrants from 36 nations who were on the terrorist watchlist, it said.

At least three of the illegal aliens released into the United States potentially had ties with ISIS, the report revealed. They had used the CBP One app to arrive at an entry point and get processed into America.

Trump ended the app on his first day in office, Jan. 20.

There has been opposition to Trump’s crackdown against illegal immigration. Last month, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, together with other immigrant advocacy groups, sued several federal agencies and officials over stronger identification measures instituted by Trump on illegal immigrants.

An executive order from the president required that illegal immigrants be identified and registered with the federal government.

Subsequently, DHS said that illegal immigrants who do not register their identities with the federal government, get fingerprinted, inform authorities when changing addresses, or do not leave the country would be subjected to criminal penalties.

In its complaint, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights argued that the DHS rule was changing the government’s approach to registration in a way “that will cause confusion, fear, and significant economic disruption.”

“Defendants attempt to rush through these sweeping changes without any meaningful explanation for the change in policy and without the notice, public comment, and careful consideration that Congress requires to avoid exactly these types of harms.”

This week, a federal judge sided with the government, allowing the Trump administration to enforce the identification requirements for illegal aliens. Plaintiffs in the case failed to “demonstrate that they have standing to bring this suit,” the ruling stated.

During the first 50 days of Trump’s second term, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made 32,809 arrests, which is almost equal to the total arrests made for the entirety of fiscal year 2024, according to the DHS.

The arrests included 14,111 convicted criminals, with 9,980 carrying pending charges against them.