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Republican claims stimulus would aid illegal immigrants

WASHINGTON: Illegal immigrants who lack Social Security numbers could not get tax credits under the $800 billion-plus economic stimulus package making its way through Congress.

Two senior GOP congressional officials expressed concern Thursday that the bill could steer government checks to undocumented workers, but in fact the measure indicates that Social Security numbers are needed to claim tax credits of $500 per worker and $1,000 per couple. It also expressly disqualifies nonresident aliens.

A revolt among GOP conservatives to provisions of last year's economic stimulus bill, which sent rebate checks to most wage earners, forced Democratic congressional leaders to add stricter eligibility requirements. That legislation, enacted in February 2008, required that people have valid Social Security numbers in order to get checks.

The current plan doesn't contain that requirement.

Not a single Republican voted for an $819 billion version of the plan when it passed the House on Wednesday.

www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/29/america/Stimulus-Illegal-Immigrants
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