Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), along with other senators, introduced a bill that would deport child care providers who are non-citizens who commit fraud.
Besides deportation, the Stop Fraud by Strengthening Oversight and More Accountability for Lying and Illegal Activity Act would prevent non-citizens who engage in this from getting lawful status in America and bar them from asylum.
Blackburn said people who come to America and steal from American taxpayers “by committing fraud should be deported.” She added that her bill proposal will protect American taxpayers from fraudsters and hold phony providers accountable for padding their pockets with stolen funds.”
The Stop Fraud by SOMALIA Act would also increase penalties for childcare providers who commit fraud.
These penalties include repaying misspent funds, being denied federal-funded child care assistance programs, and being subject to a federal criminal investigation.
The bill would also mandate that states enforce these bans and restrict child care providers from being debarred through restructuring or name changes.
In addition to Blackburn, Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), Rick Scott (R-FL.), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and Ashley Moody (R-FL) cosponsored this piece of legislation.
Cornyn said the Minnesota scandal has “exposed a deep-rooted, morally bankrupt fraud empire, and it is clear more must be done to rid our nation of these heinous criminals.”
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has focused on investigating child care fraud in Minnesota. The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it was pausing federal child care and family assistance funds to California, Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, and New York because of fraud concerns.
“We have a responsibility to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure these programs serve the families they were created to help,” said Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Alex J. Adams. “When there are credible concerns about fraud or misuse, we will act.”
All these states are suing the Trump administration over its actions.
Cornyn stated he commended President Donald Trump for “his efforts to end this corruption.”
“I’m proud to take it a step further with the Stop Fraud by SOMALIA Act, which would ensure these consequences are enshrined into law before any more funds are misused or sent overseas to fund American-hating terrorist networks like we saw in now-disgraced Governor Walz’s state,” he added.
Also in January, Blackburn and her colleagues introduced a bill that would revoke the American citizenship of foreigners who committed fraud on or after September 30, 1996, and have not yet been prosecuted.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com.
