Illegal immigration ties targeted in proposal on federal grants

Illegal immigration, directly or indirectly, won’t be permitted in any way by non-governmental organizations that get federal grants under a proposal by a North Carolina congresswoman.

The Grant Integrity and Border Security Act, as House Resolution 8334 is known, would require applicants to certify they have not, will not and are not “engaging in acts related to the smuggling and transportation of illegal aliens into the United States – and that they are not engaging in a conspiracy to take any of these actions.”

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.., said in a statement on Monday, “Border security remains one of the most pressing issues of our time – the circumstances in which the nation finds itself warrant immediate, targeted solutions. The Grant Integrity and Border Security Act is one such solution that I am placing squarely upon the table. There are already documented incidents in which NGOs have allocated funds to accelerate the entry of illegal aliens into our country, all the while corrupting public trust and thumbing their noses at the rule of law. Necessary countermeasures and pressure, like those found in the Grant Integrity and Border Security Act, will serve as a boon to reinforcing border security in America.”

Text language of the proposal was not available at time of publication.

Foxx said the legislation “ensures accountability for taxpayer dollars that go to nonprofit and advocacy groups that have little or no oversight.”

If a grant recipient were to violate Section 274(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the agency that provides the grant funding must withhold any funds from the grantee. The bill says any agency leader may determine violation of this act based on “any information provided by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to the agency head;” and, by “any employee or former employee of a recipient of a federal grant who is convicted or admits to having committed a violation of section 274(a) while performing official duties.”