Exclusive–Rep. Jim Banks: Democrats ‘Slipped Free Cash for Illegal Immigrants’ into Coronavirus Bill

TOPSHOT - US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks to the chamber of the US House of Representa
NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) told Breitbart News that the coronavirus relief package House Democrats unveiled yesterday is a “grab bag special interest giveaway to their base” with “free cash for illegal immigrants.”

“Immediately, it’s a non-tarter for me and so many other House conservatives,” Banks said in an interview on SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Tonight with host Rebecca Mansour and special guest host John Binder.

Banks noted that the Democrats’ $3 trillion proposal, known as the HEROES Act, exceeds the total of the three previous coronavirus relief bills.

“This is taking everything else that we’ve done, adding it up together, and this bill alone surpasses — at three trillion dollars — all of the other three-plus aid packages that we passed before,” Banks said. “At the end of the day, this is a Democrat grab bag special interest giveaway to their base supporters. Not a single Republican had any input at all into this massive spending deal.”

LISTEN:

Breitbart News reported, “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) unveiled her $3 trillion phase four coronavirus bill on Tuesday that serves as a “policy wishlist” for Democrats and progressives.”

“At a time of mass unemployment — more than 33 million Americans unemployed, right now — one of the provisions in the Democrats’ House bill relief package — if you can even really call it that — is basically a provision that makes sure illegal aliens are no longer deported,” observed Binder. “It actually gives a carve out to businesses, incentivizing businesses to hire illegal aliens over unemployed Americans, and promises that businesses will not be prosecuted for hiring illegal aliens during the crisis.”

Binder added, “We have mass unemployment, and and the knee-jerk reaction of the left is, ‘Let’s import more foreign workers.'”

Banks replied, “If you didn’t think it was bad enough that they slipped free cash for illegal immigrants into this bill, then keep reading. This bill overturns some of the restrictions on the former bills to allow for bailouts to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. It bails out the U.S. Postal Service with $25 billion dollars. It gives $3.6 billion to help states do all mail-in and ballots which are designed to help Democrats on election day rather than maintain fair elections nationally.”

Banks continued, “It bails out blue states like Illinois and forces taxpayers in fiscally responsible states like Indiana to pay for it, and that’s just shameful. It’s wrong. This bill is designed to help Democrats and to give bailouts to blue states.”

Binder asked about the bill’s “jailbreak provisions.” Breitbart News reported that the bill mandates the release of federal inmates, as well as local convicts and illegal aliens, from jail if a court categorizes them as “non-violent” offenders.”

“Why is the initial response to release people from prison when all other Americans are being told they can’t leave their homes?” inquired Binder.

Banks replied, “On its face, this is an attempt by Democrats to placate their base, whether it’s early release for prisoners, or bailouts for blue states, or what this bill does to remove the the SALT deduction cap that we got rid of in the tax cut bill a few years ago.

“This bill would give tax cuts to really rich people in  the coastal elite states like California and New York,” Banks added.  “This bill is designed to be a talking point for Democrats to go back to their base and say, ‘Look what we try to get done for you.'”

Democrats are pursuing political optics for their base, Banks determined.

“[Democrats] are not naive,” Banks stated. “They know this bill goes nowhere once they pass it in the House. It’s dead on arrival in the Senate, and there’s no way this president is never gonna sign name to a bill like this.”

“This is what Democrats would do if they did get control. This is what Democrats can ask if they win the Senate. This is what Democrats would pass if Joe Biden is the president. That’s why it’s dangerous. While today it’s a talking point tomorrow, it could very well become reality if we let Democrats win in this November election.”

Banks recalled Rahm Emanuel’s maxim: “Never let a crisis go to waste.”

“This is how Democrats operate,” concluded Banks. “They are seizing this moment to advocate for issues that placate their Democrat base, and that’s all this is. It’s a wish list.  ‘Give me more taxpayer dollars for Planned Parenthood, give me more free cash for illegal immigrants.’ They filled this bill with all the pork they could imagine.”

Breitbart News Tonight broadcasts live on SiriusXM Patriot channel 125 weeknights from 9:00 p.m. to midnight Eastern or 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pacific.

Follow Robert Kraychik on Twitter.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.