Florida Representative Greg Steube introduced a new piece of legislation on Wednesday that would fundamentally change who can collect federal welfare benefits. The bill, titled the American Families First Assistance Act (AFFA), looks to bar a specific group of migrants from accessing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which provides cash assistance and support to low-income households with children.
Currently, the TANF program operates through federal block grants given to states. Under the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, certain non-citizens—including those “paroled” into the country—are eligible for these benefits.
Steube’s bill, officially labeled H.R. 11, aims to strip that eligibility for most paroled migrants while keeping the door open for lawful permanent residents and Cuban refugees.
Steube framed the move as a way to prioritize domestic resources.
“American taxpayer dollars should go to struggling American families, not migrants who entered the country under the Biden administration’s failed border policies,” the Congressman said in a statement. He argued that the legislation ensures the program serves the specific population it was originally intended for.
The technical language of the bill would amend the 1996 law to narrow the definition of “qualified aliens” for TANF purposes.
If passed, the change would effectively block migrants who entered under recent parole programs from receiving the monthly assistance, reflecting a broader effort by House Republicans to tighten the link between immigration status and federal aid.
READ: Florida Sweep Snags 15 Criminal Illegal Immigrants In “Operation Tidal Wave” Joint Raid
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