From the Boston Herald:
A Republican crackdown blocking illegal immigrants from scooping up taxpayer-funded benefits such as welfare and food stamps is gaining steam on Beacon Hill – as Democratic lawmakers and two candidates for governor scrambled yesterday to back the tough new measure.
“We can’t afford to be giving money to people who are breaking the law,” said state Rep. Jeffrey D. Perry (R-Sandwich), who filed an amendment to the budget that would force state departments offering taxpayer-funded assistance to check the applicant with federal immigration authorities.
“If our housing programs had this policy, the president’s aunt wouldn’t have been able to get access to our public housing,” said Perry, referring to President Obama’s aunt, Zeituni Onyango, an illegal Kenyan immigrant who notoriously nabbed a state-funded apartment in South Boston.
Perry is running for William Delahunt’s congressional seat.
Even Gov. Deval Patrick – who supports giving in-state college tuition for illegal immigrants who graduated from Bay State schools – acknowledged the state could be doing a better job ensuring illegals don’t get state services.
“I think we’re doing a pretty good job, but there’s always room for improvement,” Patrick told the Herald.