Eight out of 50 Senate Dems voted to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving stimulus checks

Eight out of 50 Senate Democrats voted overnight Thursday with Republicans in favor of preventing illegal immigrants from receiving stimulus checks.

The vote took place on during a series of votes on amendments to the budget resolution that Democrats have pushed forward to begin the budget reconciliation process. The use of budget reconciliation would allow the Democratic-led Congress to pass President Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan without GOP votes. The proposal includes $1,400 direct stimulus payments. 

In some cases, illegal immigrants file tax returns with tax identification numbers (ITINs) instead of Social Security numbers, enabling them to collect tax credits on behalf of their U.S. citizen children.

According to The Balance, undocumented workers and ITIN workers "can still claim the Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit for their children under age 17, however, if the children are documented and have valid SSNs."

The purpose of the amendment was "to establish a deficit-neutral reserve fund relating to preventing legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to receive Economic Impact Payments or any other similar direct, tax-based temporary financial assistance."

The eight Senate Democrats who joined Senate Republicans in passing the resolution were Sens. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia; Gary Peters, of Michigan; Maggie Hassan, of New Hampshire; John Hickenlooper, of Colorado; Mark Kelly of Arizona; Kyrsten Sinema, of Arizona; Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, and Jon Tester of Montana.