This bill would change the Immigration and Nationality Act to say that noncitizens (aliens) who have been convicted of, who admit to, or who admit acts that are the essential elements of, an offense that involves defrauding the United States Government or unlawfully receiving a federal, state, or local public benefit are inadmissible and deportable. The bill also covers conspiracies to commit those offenses. It adds a new inadmissibility ground to 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2) and a new deportability ground to 8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(2), and it refers to the definitions of federal and state or local public benefits in sections 401(c) and 411(c) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1611(c) and 1621(c)). The bill was introduced in the Senate on November 5, 2025, by Senators Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, Mike Lee, and Ashley Moody and was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, this bill would allow immigration authorities to deny you entry to the country or to place you in removal (deportation) proceedings if you have a conviction for, have admitted to, or have admitted acts that meet the elements of, defrauding the United States Government or unlawfully receiving public benefits. The rule also applies if you conspired to commit such an offense. The bill uses the definitions of federal and state or local public benefits found in the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.
No publicly available information on costs, budgetary effects, or implementation details is included in the bill text or metadata provided.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.