Rep. Steube Introduces American Families First Assistance Act

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced today the American Families First Assistance Act or AFFA Act. This bill would ensure American families - not Biden-era migrants - are prioritized in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

"American taxpayer dollars should go to struggling American families, not migrants who entered the country under the Biden administration's failed border policies," said Rep. Steube. "The American Families First Assistance Act ensures TANF benefits are reserved for those the program was intended to serve."

Background: The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal block grants to states to assist low-income families with children.

Under current law, several categories of non-citizens are classified as "qualified aliens" and may be eligible for TANF benefits, including individuals paroled into the United States.

The American Families First Assistance Act amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to narrow that eligibility and prevent migrants paroled into the United States from receiving TANF benefits while preserving eligibility for lawful permanent residents and Cuban refugees.

Read the full bill text here.