Senator Martins: Bill Giving Illegal Immigrants Taxpayer Funded Public Assistance Benefits & the Right to Vote an Insult to Overtaxed Nassau Families

     “I strongly oppose the Senate Democrats' proposal to give illegal immigrants New York State citizenship including taxpayer funded public assistance benefits and the right to vote, serve on juries, run for public office, obtain a driver’s license, and hold professional licenses. It is an insult to hardworking, overtaxed families in Nassau County and New York State, but it's in addition to Senate Democrats' plan to provide illegal immigrants with taxpayer funded college tuition assistance, even though 3 out of 4 current New York students do not qualify for that same benefit. 

     Many law-abiding taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet. Instead of further cutting taxes for law-abiding taxpayers here in New York, the Senate Democrats want to drive their costs up further and spend hundreds of millions of their tax dollars giving benefits to people who are here illegally. It defies common sense.

     The fact that this is even being considered by the Senate Democrats speaks volumes about their misplaced priorities. When they were previously in the majority in 2009-10, we saw what happened: $14 billion in new taxes, a $10 billion budget deficit, and total dysfunction. Now we’re getting an insight of what they want the future to hold. That’s the last thing Nassau families need.”