On Sunday, President Joe Biden was asked about his administration’s reported plan to consider compensating illegal immigrants who were separated due to legal requirements under the Trump administration.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration was considering paying illegal aliens that were separated from their families under the previous administration up to $450,000 each.
Biden was questioned on this plan during the two-day G20 Summit that took place over the weekend in Rome. Biden’s response was entirely non-verbal, with the president staring back and scratching his head as he traveled down an escalator.
“Mr. President, is it true we’re going to give $450,000 to border crossers who are separated?” Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked. Another journalist asked Biden whether his “plan B for Iran includes a military option.”
WOW: Asked if the administration is planning to offer illegal immigrants $450,000 for breaking the law, Biden just stares confusedly at @pdoocy, refusing to answer. pic.twitter.com/moIeHhXdd8
— Jake Schneider (@jacobkschneider) October 31, 2021
“The U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services are considering payments that could amount to close to $1 million a family, though the final numbers could shift,” The Wall Street Journal reported last week. “Most of the families that crossed the border illegally from Mexico to seek asylum in the U.S. included one parent and one child.”
Critics were quick to point out that the illegal immigrant compensation would rival compensation under of some Gold Star families and families of the victims of the September 11 attacks.
“Biden wants to pay illegal immigrants $450,000 for their hardship while breaking our laws,” tweeted Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX). “For perspective, if a service member is killed in action, their next of kin gets an insurance payment of $400,000.”
“Let that sink in,” he added.
Biden wants to pay illegal immigrants $450,000 for their hardship while breaking our laws.
For perspective, if a service member is killed in action, their next of kin gets an insurance payment of $400,000.
Let that sink in. https://t.co/J3kuhDhyD5
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) October 28, 2021
As The Daily Wire previously reported, there was further widespread backlash to the proposals.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) described the plans as “pure insanity.”
“The Biden administration is reportedly looking to pay $450,000 to illegal immigrants who knowingly broke the law,” McCarthy continued. “It’s a slap in the face to our law-abiding citizens who wake up, go to work, and pay their taxes.”
“The Biden Administration wants you to give $1 million to illegal immigrant families who broke the law. This is beyond open borders. It’s an assault on American sovereignty,” commented Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR).
The Republican National Committee tweeted: “Rising crime, surging prices, empty shelves, border in chaos. And Biden wants to PAY illegal immigrants $450,000 for breaking the law.”
Meanwhile, Alberto Miguel Fernandez, a former U.S. diplomat, said: “Imagine how this story will translate and percolate down to desperate people in slums and villages, not just in Latin America, but worldwide.”
“The caravans we’ve seen so far is nothing. It’ll be the Children’s Crusade. Nice payoff for illegally crossing an international border. You might say, this is not true, that these are only legitimate asylum seekers and justice is being done,” he continued. “But cartel human traffickers and self-deceiving, desperate people will interpret it as expansively and deceptively as possible.”
“Joe Biden wants to raise your taxes, but give $450,000 to illegal immigrants. Biden is putting America last,” added Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO).
President Biden claimed the report was untrue when pressed on the issue during a press conference on November 3.
This article has been expanded after publication to include additional information.