On February 19, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would strip all illegal immigrants of their federal benefits. He called these benefits an improper use of American taxpayer resources.
With this order he ordered all federal departments and agencies to conduct a thorough review of all assistance programs for illegal immigrants and exclude them from government funding.
The order states that federal funds allocated to states and localities should not be used to facilitate illegal immigration.
The order requires tightening checks for eligibility for federal benefits to prevent them from being issued to people who are in the United States illegally.
Undocumented immigrants were not eligible for federal benefits before this order, but there were exceptions due to personal emergencies. But many families of illegal immigrants, even if they fell under these exceptions and were eligible for benefits, were afraid to apply for them to avoid possible deportation.
I recommend that anyone who is in the United States without legal status consult with a lawyer as soon as possible to think about the best way to legalize in the country and avoid problems and deportation. For any questions related to immigration law, you can schedule a consultation with me – attorney Irina Lust, using the form below: