A House bill proposed by a Republican from Odessa was approved without any objections– which grants welfare benefits to illegal aliens.

Taxpayer-funded healthcare, food, housing– for people who have entered the country illegally.

House Bill 888 introduced by State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R–Odessa, was passed by a vote of 94-46. It was originally intended to help law enforcement combat illegal immigration and the smuggling of illegal alien children whom smugglers are using as human shields to protect themselves from deportation and prosecution. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen explained the problem in March:

“Over the past five years, we have seen a 620% increase in families, or those posing as families, apprehended at the border,” Nielsen said.

“Of great concern to me is that the children are being used as pawns to get into our country. We have encountered recycling rings, where innocent young people are used multiple times to help aliens gain illegal entry. As a nation, we simply cannot stand for this.”

The bill  makes smuggling an illegal alien minor a criminal offense, stating it is illegal for a person “with intent to deceive, knowingly misrepresenting a child as a family member to a peace officer or federal special investigator at a port of entry.”

The House State Affairs Committee passed the bill unanimously. It was then passed to the Calendars Committee and scheduled for a second reading. But because of legislative delays in the House, the bill wasn’t considered until May 1, when Landgraf accepted an amendment authored by two Democrats that watered down the bill.

On May 2, State Rep. Mayes Middleton, R–Wallisville, tried to offer an amendment to reverse the Democrats’ amendment. While she received support from 15 other Republicans, she was defeated by Landgraf and other Republicans and Democrats.

It only went downhill from there.

Democrat State Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg was able to get his amendment added– granting taxpayer-funded welfare to illegal aliens–to which no lawmaker objected.

Canales’ amendment adds the below stipulation to the bill:

“AUTOMATIC PROVISION OF MEDICAID BENEFITS. To the extent permitted by federal law and regardless of the nationality of the child, the commission shall ensure a child who is used in the commission of an offense under Section 37.082, Penal Code, is provided Medicaid benefits.”

According to the advocacy group, Texas Scorecard, “Despite murmurs from lawmakers that the vote would be reconsidered, no motion was made prior to the Texas House recessing until 9 a.m. Friday morning.”

The group is urging Texas citizens to contact their lawmakers to oppose the bill and call the Texas Capitol switchboard at (512)-463-4630.