GOP’s Border Security Bill Should Include Citizenship Verification For Health Care Handouts

Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has outlined a strategy for the new Republican Congress to address border and national security needs early this year in a budget reconciliation bill. As I explained two years ago, increasing defense spending via reconciliation would circumvent perpetual Democrat demands to couple increases in defense and nondefense spending, which have led to costly omnibus spending bills. 

But a border security measure should also include a logical complement: enhanced citizenship verification procedures for federal health care programs. These measures would not just help pay for new security spending but also deter additional migration.