Congress projects $177 billion in welfare costs for illegal aliens and anchor babies

The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary convened on February 26, 2025, to address the contentious issue of birthright citizenship and its implications under the Fourteenth Amendment. A significant focus of the meeting was the estimated 250,000 children born to illegal aliens in 2023, which represented 7% of total births in the nation. This statistic has raised concerns about the strain on government resources, particularly in welfare programs.

Committee members highlighted that American taxpayers are projected to spend approximately $177 billion over the next decade on welfare benefits for illegal aliens and their U.S.-born children. This figure includes costs associated with Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and food assistance programs like SNAP, which alone accounts for $5 billion annually for the U.S.-born children of illegal aliens.

The discussion also touched on the practice of birth tourism, where foreign nationals travel to the U.S. to give birth, thereby securing citizenship for their children. This practice has been criticized for diverting medical resources away from American mothers and babies. Reports indicate that around 46,000 foreign tourists give birth in the U.S. each year, with a notable number coming from countries like China and Russia. These tourists often pay substantial fees to agencies that facilitate their stay and delivery in the U.S.

The committee expressed concerns that this trend not only burdens public services but also poses potential security risks, as adversaries may exploit birthright citizenship to establish a foothold in American society. The meeting underscored the urgency of addressing these issues, with calls for policy changes to end universal birthright citizenship and curb birth tourism practices.

As the committee continues to deliberate on these matters, the implications for immigration policy and public welfare remain significant, prompting a broader conversation about the future of citizenship in the United States.