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On Sunday’s program Lidia Curanaj bluntly told viewers that “fifty-nine percent of illegals were on our payroll before the government shutdown,” and that wake-up call should sting every hardworking American who pays taxes. That figure traces back to an analysis showing that a majority of households headed by noncitizens — including undocumented immigrants — used at least one major welfare program, a reality the left and in some corners the media prefer to sugarcoat.
Let’s be clear about SNAP itself: the federal rules do not extend blanket eligibility to undocumented immigrants, and many noncitizens are categorically ineligible unless they meet narrow lawful-resident or refugee conditions. Federal guidance and congressional material make plain that most unauthorized adults cannot receive SNAP, though there are exceptions for certain legal immigrants, children, veterans, and refugees in specific circumstances.
But don’t let that technicality be used to diminish the scale of the problem. The Center for Immigration Studies’ analysis found that while 59 percent of illegal-headed households use one or more major programs, a notable share of those households — including U.S.-born children of noncitizen parents and people in states with looser rules — are enrolled in food assistance, Medicaid, school meals, or other taxpayer-funded programs. That partial overlap is how taxpayers end up footing bills even when federal SNAP rules are supposed to be restrictive.
The government shutdown only made matters worse by interrupting federal funding for SNAP and WIC programs, a reality that forced hard choices and exposed how fragile the safety net becomes when Washington can’t keep its promises. When federal dollars stop, local taxpayers and state budgets feel the strain — and voters ought to ask why Washington prioritizes open-borders handouts over secure borders and orderly immigration.
Meanwhile, too many in the national press conflate separate facts to manufacture outrage on behalf of one side while excusing policy failure on the other. Saying “59 percent were on our payroll” without explaining what programs that covers or how eligibility works is political theater, and Americans deserve straight talk, not spin. Hardworking families know there is an important difference between lawful, deserving aid and a system that incentivizes lawbreaking and dependency.
The remedy is simple and patriotic: enforce existing laws, tighten eligibility verification, stop federal and state policies that subsidize illegal immigration, and protect benefits for Americans in true need. Republican lawmakers should stop pleading with platitudes and start pressing for practical reforms — stronger border enforcement, verification at benefit intake, and accountability for states that bankroll ineligible adults.
Taxpayers are not the enemy, and patriotism means protecting the rule of law and the dignity of honest work. If Washington won’t act, voters must — demand candidates who will defend American citizens, secure the border, and ensure every dollar goes to those who earned it or truly need it.
