Scott Bessent Announces Major Move to Shut Down Illegal Alien Benefits [WATCH]

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the department is working to cut off federal benefits to illegal immigrants at the direction of President Donald Trump.

Bessent wrote in a post on X that “we are working to cut off federal benefits to illegal aliens and preserve them for U.S. Citizens.”

Bessent said the Treasury “announced that it will issue proposed regulations clarifying that the refunded portions of certain individual income tax benefits are no longer available to illegal and other non-qualified aliens, covering the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, the American Opportunity Tax Credit, and the Saver’s Match Credit.”

At @POTUS @realDonaldTrump‘s direction, we are working to cut off federal benefits to illegal aliens and preserve them for U.S. citizens.@USTreasury announced that it will issue proposed regulations clarifying that the refunded portions of certain individual income tax benefits… https://t.co/pn2MXoxDHC

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) November 28, 2025

His post referenced an announcement made by the Treasury Department last week stating that the refundable portions of those tax credits are considered “federal public benefits” that illegal immigrants and nonqualified aliens are not entitled to receive.

Bessent added in a follow-up post, “If you’re here illegally, there’s no place for you in our financial system. Illegal aliens that use our financial institutions to move their illicitly obtained funds is exploitation, and it will end.”

.@POTUS @realDonaldTrump is right—if you’re here illegally, there’s no place for you in our financial system.

Illegal aliens that use our financial institutions to move their illicitly obtained funds is exploitation, and it will end.https://t.co/mIy7fFWWNw.

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) November 28, 2025

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The Treasury’s action comes after a recent legal opinion by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel adopting the interpretation that the refundable portions of the listed tax credits qualify as federal public benefits.

Treasury’s announcement stated that it plans for its final regulations to apply beginning in tax year 2026.

In the department’s announcement, Bessent said, “Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy and the Internal Revenue Service have worked tirelessly to advance this initiative and ensure its successful implementation. Their diligence and professionalism reflect this Administration’s determination to uphold the integrity of our tax system. We will continue to ensure that taxpayer resources are directed only to those who are entitled under the law.”

Also on Friday, the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) said it is issuing an alert to financial institutions aimed at preventing illegal immigrants from exploiting the U.S. financial system by moving illicitly obtained funds.

The announcement said that money services businesses are generally required to file a suspicious activity report for a transaction involving at least $2,000 when the business knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect the activity relates to a possible legal or regulatory violation.

According to the announcement, those transactions include the cross-border transfer of funds derived from unlawful employment or funds otherwise illicitly obtained in the United States.

Bessent’s posts followed comments from President Trump on Thursday, in which he said his administration will “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries” after the death of a National Guard member in an attack near the White House.

A very Happy Thanksgiving salutation to all of our Great American Citizens and Patriots who have been so nice in allowing our Country to be divided, disrupted, carved up, murdered, beaten, mugged, and laughed at, along with certain other foolish countries throughout the World,…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 28, 2025

His remarks follow additional migration-related actions ordered since the shooting on Wednesday, which investigators say was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the United States in 2021 under a resettlement program.

Trump did not identify specific countries or define what he meant by third-world countries or “permanently pause.”

He said the plan would include cases approved under Joe Biden’s administration.

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