House approves bill that ‘would unleash terror on immigrant and citizen families’

The House approved a bill funding for immigration enforcement and tax cuts that according to experts, will benefit the wealthy most and remove social safety net programs for low-income people.

The bill now goes to the Senate, where changes are expected. 

The House of Representatives passed the Reconciliation Bill this week that increases  immigration enforcement, the military and proposes steep cuts to healthcare and programs serving children, families and working individuals.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will add $2.4 trillion over 10 years to the national debt, according to The Washington Post. 

The bill could force $500 billion in cuts to Medicare and remove Medicaid coverage from 8.7 million people. 

“In an unprecedented move, GOP House members have voted to unleash terror upon immigrant communities everywhere,” Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), said. “The House approved a $150 billion budget increase to help President Trump accomplish his cruel immigration agenda. Based on what we have seen in the first 100 days of the administration, this would signify a significant increase in lawlessness and cruelty. The administration will continue executing disappearances, arrests, and deportations of millions of immigrants who live and contribute positively to their communities.”

Salas also questioned the budget cuts to safety net programs. 

“To what purpose? To give tax breaks to, and fill the pockets of, the wealthy and powerful and to please mega corporations who will also benefit from this taking from the needy to reward the greedy.”

The CHIRLA executive director said the bill is “a horrible testament to the Trump administration’s misguided and elitist agenda making some sectors of the most powerful even richer and damning everyone else.”