A growing number of Americans are backing President Donald Trump’s proposed “Big Beautiful Bill,” which would block illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid and food stamps—a move that could save millions in taxpayer dollars.
Despite strong resistance from leaders in sanctuary cities and states, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a broad coalition of Americans is standing behind the proposed restrictions.
“For years, liberal lawmakers at both state and federal levels have chipped away at any barriers to taxpayer-funded support for illegal immigrants,” said Jessica Vaughan, policy director at the Center for Immigration Studies. “People are fed up with it.”
Vaughan noted that frustration is running especially high due to current economic uncertainty.
Gov. Hochul recently criticized federal funding cuts to New York, which she claims were prompted by the state’s provision of free healthcare to undocumented immigrants. But some New Yorkers are calling for more drastic measures, including defunding the state until all illegal immigrants are deported.
Vaughan added, “It’s no surprise Americans are angry about covering the massive cost of welfare services for illegal immigrants while they’re struggling to pay for housing, groceries, insurance, or disaster recovery.”
The Center for Immigration Studies, which has long analyzed the economic impact of illegal immigration, estimates that providing Medicaid to undocumented immigrants could cost between $10 billion and $23 billion annually.
Meanwhile, some liberal leaders continue to push for benefits targeted at illegal immigrants. Vaughan highlighted one such case: “The latest absurd example is LA Mayor Karen Bass creating a legal defense fund for illegal immigrants targeted by ICE—many of them criminals—while ignoring wildfire victims who lost everything.”
According to Vaughan, Trump’s aggressive deportation strategy amounts to “the ultimate fiscal bail-out” for sanctuary states like California, New York, and Massachusetts, which have tried to finance illegal immigration on the backs of taxpayers.
New Rasmussen polling shows overwhelming national support for ending federal benefits for undocumented immigrants. About 72% of likely voters believe it’s important to prevent them from accessing Medicaid and food stamps.
Support cuts across the political spectrum—88% of Republicans, 59% of Democrats, and 68% of independents agree it’s at least somewhat important to block these benefits.
The sentiment also spans racial groups, with 71% of white and Hispanic voters, 70% of Black voters, and 74% of other minorities backing the proposed restrictions. Notably, Hispanics were the most likely to say the government is already doing enough to limit benefits for illegal immigrants.
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