Exclusive: Jim Banks Introduces ‘American Students First Act’ to Stop Joe Biden from Expanding College Prep Programs to Illegal Aliens

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) is introducing legislation to stop President Joe Biden from offering taxpayer-funded college preparatory programs to illegal aliens. The programs are intended for low-income young Americans.

In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Banks, who is running for the United States Senate, said he is introducing the “American Students First Act.”

The legislation would prevent Biden’s Department of Education from expanding federal TRIO programs to illegal aliens.

“It’s disgusting and un-American that the Biden administration wants to use tax dollars from truckers and farmers to fund college prep classes for illegal immigrants,” Banks told Breitbart News. “All the while, our test scores are at a record low.”

In March, the Department of Education proposed expanding TRIO programs — which include the Talent Search program, the Educational Opportunity Centers program, and the Upward Bound program — to illegal aliens.

The proposal states:

The Department proposes to expand participation in several TRIO programs to more students from disadvantaged backgrounds to align with the goals of the statute … limitations in the current regulation do not allow for TRIO programs to reach all students in the geographic areas for whom the programs were meant to serve. [Emphasis added]

The TRIO college prep programs are meant for low-income young Americans and students on green cards, much like the Federal Pell Grant program.

“Rather than prepping illegals for college, the Biden administration should focus on undoing the unprecedented learning loss that happened during their school lockdowns,” Banks said.

Mass immigration to the U.S. is a billion-dollar profit pipeline for American colleges and universities. In the 2023 school year, for example, more than one million foreign students — from visa-holders to illegal aliens — were enrolled in colleges and universities in the U.S.

These colleges and universities rake in an estimated $9 billion annually from foreign students, including illegal aliens, via tuition and fees.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.