Proposed protections for unemployed illegal immigrants in blue state.

An illegal immigrant in Washington state is proposing a policy to safeguard jobless individuals who are unable to obtain unemployment benefits.

President-elect Trump and his border czar-designate Thomas Homan have announced plans to crack down on illegal immigration and have discussed "mass deportation" in a reversal of the Biden-era policies.

Sen. Rebecca Saldaña is proposing legislation that guarantees Washington residents who are legally barred from working in the U.S. - a category that primarily encompasses illegal immigrants - will receive aid.

Saldaña, a Seattle lawmaker, declined to provide additional comment on her bill to Planet Chronicle Digital. However, a representative for the lawmaker emphasized that she had previously emphasized the significant contributions of undocumented workers to Washington's economy.

Over the past decade, that group collectively paid nearly $400 million in unemployment taxes, and the proposed bill aims to ensure that those who contribute to the system can depend on it when they need it, her office stated.

The representative stated that Saldaña has consistently presented legislation addressing the systemic and longstanding inequities in our immigration system, regardless of whether it was during Democrat or Republican administrations.

Previously, Saldaña has contended that offering unemployment benefits to eligible undocumented workers can aid in maintaining a stable workforce and mitigate future instances of poverty and homelessness resulting from job loss.

The Evergreen State's economy will have lasting positive effects due to her office's efforts.

John Braun, the Senate Minority Leader from Centralia, stated that he had not viewed the bill's text as of Monday afternoon but was aware of its proposal.

Our state has a significant amount of work to address on immigration, particularly with regards to both undocumented and legal immigration, according to Braun. However, he noted that this is largely a federal issue.

"I hope the people in D.C. will handle the immigration issue, while we in state government stay out of it."

Under federal law, individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are not eligible to apply for work permits and, therefore, cannot register or file for unemployment compensation. Additionally, those with expired work authorizations and dependents of people living in the U.S. under various visa classifications are also not eligible for unemployment benefits.

The visa classes that are not included are O, R, and F.

An alien must have legal authorization to work in the US to be considered "available for work" and eligible for benefits, as stated in a 1985 memo from the Department of Labor.

The INS, which was a predecessor entity to the Department of Homeland Security, was mentioned in the memo.

In other parts of the U.S., the Colorado Office of New Americans offers a "Benefit Recovery Fund" to undocumented workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and meet certain criteria.

In California, Democrat lawmakers aimed to provide aid like Saldaña's but were hindered by liberal Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In September, Newsom rejected a bill that proposed better access to home loans and mortgages for illegal immigrants, and also vetoed legislation on the same topic.