Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs A new child tax credit plan proposed by a Republican congressman could gain widespread support among Americans, based on a new survey.Roughly 51 percent of Americans support ending the child tax credit for parents who are not citizens, according to a Navigator survey of 1,000 registered voters conducted this month.Why It MattersGOP Representative Jefferson Van Drew of New Jersey sponsored HR 547, which would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require Americans to provide a Social Security number in order to claim the child tax credit.The maximum tax credit per child is $2,000 for those under 17 in tax year 2024. But if passed, the bill could mean that millions of children’s parents would no longer earn the tax credit if they are not citizens, regardless of their child’s status.
Representative Jefferson Van Drew questions witnesses during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on “worldwide threats to the homeland” on September 17, 2020.
Representative Jefferson Van Drew questions witnesses during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on “worldwide threats to the homeland” on September 17, 2020.
CHIP SOMODEVILLA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
What To KnowMore than 16.7 million people share a home with at least one family member, usually a parent, who is undocumented, according to the American Immigration Council. Of that group, around 6 million are children under 18, so HR 547 could prevent millions of children’s families from taking the tax credit.When Americans were asked in the survey for their stance on eliminating the child tax credit for noncitizens, a majority, 51 percent, was in favor. Only 22 percent said they strongly opposed the idea.The majority of Republicans and independents agreed with the idea behind the new bill, while Democrats were split down the middle. Even among Democrats, though, only 52 percent said they opposed eliminating the child tax credit for noncitizens.What People Are SayingJefferson Van Drew told Newsweek: “Right now, there is an oversight in our tax system that is being taken advantage of by those who entered our country illegally. The Biden administration’s open border policies have already wasted hundreds of millions of our tax dollars. This commonsense change will end one of the worst abuses of our system and ensure Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars are not being used to benefit illegal immigrants.”Kevin Thompson, founder and CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek: “Many Americans believe that noncitizens, particularly those who cannot provide a Social Security number, should not be eligible for refundable tax credits or other taxpayer-funded benefits.”This is often framed as a fairness issue, with growing nationalist sentiments contributing towards America First. I believe the concern revolves around taxpayer dollars going to undocumented immigrants rather than those who are legally authorized to work in the U.S.,” he said.Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “With a new administration comes a different perspective of how to handle federal benefits and those who are undocumented. Recent polling has indicated the majority of Americans are in favor of some, but not all, financial measures that can be taken by the federal government to limit benefits being distributed to undocumented individuals and their families.”It’s still difficult to say how much of the proposals will ultimately become a reality, but the fact there’s some bipartisan support for certain measures gives credence to them eventually becoming law. If such measures are taken, it’s going to equate to fewer child tax credits being distributed, even to children who technically are legal Americans but their parents are not,” he said.What Happens NextIf HR 547 gets passed in Congress, noncitizen parents will no longer be able to claim the child tax credit for their eligible children.”While this change wouldn’t affect the child’s legal citizenship, it could significantly reduce financial assistance for some families,” Thompson said. “The proposed changes can have consequences such as losing access to the credit, increasing financial strain and pushing families deeper into poverty. These credits are a crucial support in many households across the country, and Americans need to consider not only how this could impact individual families but also the additional strain it may place on other systems, such as Medicaid, effectively robbing Peter to pay Paul.”Stricter requirements also could push undocumented immigrants to not file taxes altogether, Thompson said.”While the policy might save the government some money, the impact would be minimal. This debate isn’t just about tax credits—it’s about immigration, economic fairness and who taxpayer-funded benefits should really support,” Thompson said.
