{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lauren-boebert-introduces-no-taxpayer-funded-lawyers-illegal-aliens-act", "Rep. Lauren Boebert Introduces the No Taxpayer Funded Lawyers for Illegal Aliens Act", "2022-02-07", "2022", "2022-02", "Republican", "House", "CO", "Lauren Boebert", "B000825", "boebert.house.gov", "boebert", "https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Rep. Lauren Boebert was joined by 18 of her colleagues in introducing the No Taxpayer Funded Lawyers for Illegal Aliens Act, which would prohibit taxpayer dollars from being funneled to illegal aliens for legal services and lawyers to help them stay in the United States and avoid deportation after breaking our immigration laws.\n\nRep. Lauren Boebert stated, \u201cDemocrats want to treat border detention facilities like an Oprah Winfrey show. You get free education, a free plane ticket, free medical care, free housing, free food, and a free lawyer to avoid the consequences of breaking the law. The American people are tired of America last policies where they are being put behind illegal immigrants and footing the bill for freebies. The law clearly states that illegal aliens facing deportation do not have the right to a free attorney. Open-border extremists shouldn\u2019t be funneling taxpayer dollars through NGO\u2019s to circumvent the law. It\u2019s called America First.\u201d\n\nRep. Scott Perry said, \u201cWhether its donating to bail out domestic abusers, or using taxpayer funds to help illegal aliens break the law, the Biden Administration made it abundantly clear that law-abiding Americans must be treated as second-class citizens. Unacceptable, and it must end now.\u201d\n\nRep. Mary Miller stated, \u201cTaxpayer dollars should never be given to people intentionally breaking our laws and illegally entering our country. We must put the safety of American citizens first.\u201d\n\nRep. Mo Brooks said, \u201cNon-profit entities and the Biden Administration brazenly use taxpayer dollars for lawyers for illegal aliens to abuse American laws and courts and avoid the deportation they deserve. This heinous misuse of tax dollars to undermine the Rule of Law is emblematic of the Biden Administration\u2019s extremely harmful policy of importing as many illegal aliens as they can as quickly as they can. I support doing whatever is necessary to see that no taxpayer funds go to lawyers for illegal aliens, and I thank Congresswoman Boebert for her leadership on this issue.\u201d\n\nRep. Louie Gohmert stated, \u201cThe Biden Administration is once again caught red-handed in their scheme to secretly aid and abet illegal immigration, cheat American taxpayers out of their hard-earned money, weaken our national security, and destroy the fabric of our nation. The people need leadership that will put American health and safety first. This bill helps get our priorities straight.\u201d\n\nRep. Paul Gosar said, \u201cFrom airline and bus tickets, to payouts, hotel rooms, promises of amnesty and tax-payer funded lawyers, Joe Biden has done everything he possibly can to bring lawbreakers into our country through our southern border. Providing lawyers to the invading hordes of lawbreakers in nonsensical and this lunacy must end. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation that puts a stop to taxpayer-funded lawyers for illegal immigrants.\u201d\n\nDale L. Wilcox, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Immigration Reform Law Institute stated, \u201cThis investigation brings to light a problem that is plaguing our country. Illegal aliens are not entitled to legal services at federal government expense for civil actions, and the majority of Americans want greater immigration enforcement. Yet, progressive local politicians and anti-borders activists have found a way to go around the law and stick taxpayers with the bill to help keep aliens in the country. This should not be allowed to take place.\u201d\n\nRosemary Jenks, Director of Government Relations, NumbersUSA said, \u201cNumbersUSA applauds Congresswoman Boebert for introducing the No Taxpayer Funded Lawyers for Illegal Aliens Act. Hard working American taxpayers should be able to expect that their tax dollars are being used to enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe. It is an affront to the rule of law to instead use that money to fund legal services for illegal aliens who have violated our laws.\u201d\n\nRJ Hauman, Head of Government Relations and Communications at the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) stated, \u201cProviding taxpayer-funded legal representation to illegal aliens is an insult to every law-abiding American citizen and legal resident. Not only are numerous city and county governments providing free legal representation to illegal aliens fighting deportation orders, countless NGOs who are bankrolled by the federal government are using taxpayer funds to prolong the border crisis and prevent illegal aliens from being deported. Congresswoman Boebert\u2019s legislation seeks to properly address this and we\u2019re thrilled to support her effort.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Biden Border Crisis is a disaster. Over two million illegal aliens have been caught trying to jump the border since Biden took office. Instead of enforcing the law, the Biden regime is using the growing immigration crisis as an opportunity to funnel illegal aliens into America\u2019s interior with unenforceable Notices to Report. Almost 50,000 of those illegal aliens have slipped through the cracks, and they are now in America with no oversight or accountability.\n\n$5.6 million in taxpayer money is slated to go to legal defense programs in 2022 to help illegal aliens stay in the country after breaking our laws. This taxpayer money is funneled through state and local governments and leftwing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like the Vera Institute of Justice, to lawyers that provide legal services for illegal aliens. Media outlets have reported these NGOs have received at least $137 million in federal grants.\n\nAdditionally, the Biden regime recently created the \u201cLegal Access at the Border\u201d program to provide legal services to illegal aliens who are in DHS or CBP custody, in removal proceedings, seeking entry across the Southern Border, or in the Migrant Protection Protocols program.\n\nRep. Boebert\u2019s No Taxpayer Funded Lawyers for Illegal Aliens Act defunds Biden\u2019s Legal Access at the Border contract program and prohibits laundering taxpayer dollars through faceless NGOs that provide lawyers to illegal aliens. The left is trying to hide where it is spending taxpayer dollars through obscure contracting and NGO laundering, but Rep. Boebert\u2019s bill gives a simple answer: no taxpayer dollars can go to lawyers or legal services for illegal aliens facing deportation, with the exception of lawyers representing child trafficking victims.\n\nRep. Boebert has a successful record on leading on border security issues and has visited the border three times since being elected to Congress. Rep. Boebert introduced the Secure the Southern Border Act to end catch and release, build the wall, defund sanctuary cities, partner with state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration statutes, restore the remain in Mexico policy, and allow the National Guard to defend the homeland by bolstering the Border Patrol\u2019s manpower. Rep. Boebert also introduced a bill and led a pressure campaign that resulted in the Biden administration dropping its plan to give illegal immigrants separated at the border $450,000 checks.\n\n18 Members of Congress were original cosponsors of Rep. Boebert\u2019s No Taxpayer Funded Lawyers for Illegal Aliens Act including: Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Mo Brooks (AL-05), Matt Gaetz (FL-01), Louie Gohmert (TX-01), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Tom McClintock (CA-04), Bill Posey (FL-08), Scott Perry (PA-10), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), Mary Miller (IL-15), Jody Hice (GA-10), Alex Mooney (WV-02), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02), David McKinley (WV-01), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA-14), Ted Budd (NC-13), and Ralph Norman (SC-05).", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:57:46Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://boebert.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-lauren-boebert-introduces-no-taxpayer-funded-lawyers-illegal-aliens-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.2937979772686958, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}