Illegal aliens in New Jersey have gone on a hunger strike to lobby state lawmakers to pass a taxpayer-funded program that would provide them with potentially billions in unemployment and stimulus benefits.
This month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and state Democrats struck a budget deal that includes $2.1 billion of taxpayer money for nearly 300,000 illegal aliens.
Those eligible will get a one-time payment of $15,600, the equivalent of about $300 a week for a year. The aid to illegal aliens in New York is $1.1 billion more than tax credits and grants authorized for small businesses in the state.
Now, illegal aliens in New Jersey — backed by groups like Make the Road, the New Jersey Immigrant Alliance for Justice, and the New Jersey Policy Perspective — are on a hunger strike to lobby Gov. Phil Murphy (D) for a New York-style benefits program.
The illegal aliens are asking for $2,000 direct cash payments and $600 weekly benefits.
NJ.com reports:
After more than 400 days without access to relief funds, 34 undocumented immigrants and allies, including Quiroga, are on a hunger strike until Gov. Phil Murphy or the state Legislature commits to meaningful relief for excluded workers. Sunday marked the 12th day of the fast. [Emphasis added]
…
Days after the hunger strike began, Murphy officials floated the idea of a $40 million fund for excluded workers during a phone call with progressive immigrant advocacy groups, including Make the Road, New Jersey Immigrant Alliance for Justice, and New Jersey Policy Perspective. Advocacy groups balked, saying far more money is needed to help the undocumented workers who have been accumulating debt since the pandemic began. [Emphasis added]
Open borders activists have called Murphy’s suggestion of $40 million for illegal aliens in New Jersey “crumbs.”
In New York, illegal aliens went on a hunger strike that lasted 23 days before Cuomo and state Democrats included the taxpayer-funded benefits program in the state budget.
The big business lobby in New Jersey is supporting the effort. In a statement last week, the New Jersey Hispanic Chamber of Commerce asked Murphy to “step up” and pass a taxpayer-funded benefits program for illegal aliens.
“Immigrants are an important engine for our economy in the Garden State. We account for 50% of all main street businesses,” Luis De La Hoz said in a statement. “There are over 120,000 Latino-owned businesses that contribute $20 billion annually to New Jersey’s economy. When the backbone of our economy suffers, we all lose. Gov. Murphy must step up to provide aid to excluded immigrant workers, business owners, and their families so we can all survive the pandemic.”
Cuomo’s benefits program for illegal aliens in New York has become a model for blue states who increasingly force taxpayers to foot the bill for services to illegal aliens. Already, the roughly 11 to 22 million illegal aliens living in the United States cost American taxpayers about $134 billion a year.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
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