What’s worse than creating a nanny state for Americans? Extending this nanny state to the world on the taxpayer’s dime. Idaho received more than $1.7 million in grant funding this fiscal year for refugee programs and services — some even more generous than those offered to citizens. Not only is this bad policy, but it sends the wrong message about what it means to live in the land of the free.

Idaho accepts more than her fair share of these migrants every year. Idaho had the second-highest influx of refugees per capita in the nation as of 2022 and never fell below the top five in the preceding decade. Assuming these trends hold, Idaho could reasonably expect between 380 and 930 more refugees this year.

These statistics appear to give bureaucrats a strong argument for funding more of these services. Many assume this goes to support services helping refugees get on their feet, but analyzing how the state spends these funds paints a different picture.

Some funding goes to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives like “cultural humility” training for medical providers serving refugees. Other funding goes to support nonprofits like Jannus’ Agency for New Americans — a leftist group that relies on government funding to support 70% of their budget.

Beyond the leftist initiatives, refugees also get a great deal of handouts upon arrival. Millions go toward free health screenings and treatments, cash assistance, and medical welfare through Medicaid. For those who don’t qualify for Medicaid, the federal government kicks in additional funds through the Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) program that enables refugees to still receive Medicaid-like benefits.

However, Medicaid through the RMA is more generous than Medicaid for citizens. In fact, the RMA program covers refugees up to 150% of the federal poverty level — an income of $46,800 per year for a family of four. This allows able-bodied, working-aged refugees to earn 8% more than their citizen peers. 

Thus, someone can get preference over American citizens, not even by virtue of their needs but by where they came from.

Streamlining the way to welfare for refugees doesn’t foster the self-reliance these programs promised. Groups that are supposed to provide “navigation services” for refugees and their families are really geared toward connecting them with government programs. 

To illustrate the absurdity of these programs, this means Idaho spends more than $300,000 per year on a government program connecting noncitizens to other government programs and welfare. This is far from a program designed to help newcomers to America get on their feet.

Beyond the poor economics of these programs, they also send the wrong message about America. 

The United States did not develop its reputation as the land of opportunity because the government met the people’s every need. The nation was built on the idea that a free market and a small government designed to defend the God-given rights of the people are how we prosper. The radical departure from this concept is how we are failing.

A small step to correct this glaring issue would be to at least not hold refugees above citizens. Given the RMA is a federal grant program administered by the state, this may not be possible.

For now, a more effective state-level solution would be for the program to discontinue the handouts and rely on private sector organizations to serve this group. The focus must shift from distributing handouts as a façade of compassion to a focus on helping migrants assimilate into American culture and be self-sufficient. Federal funding should be redirected to recoup the costs to Idahoans for D.C. planners sending refugees to the Gem State.

Additionally, there should be pressure from Idaho policymakers against the Biden administration officials who send such a disproportionately large number of refugees to the Gem State. The question should be asked: why should the U.S. accept refugees in the first place? Our nation shouldn’t placate the UN and the World Economic Forum’s conceptualization of world citizens. Our elected officials must place Americans and Idahoans first.

It is unacceptable for policymakers to facilitate a pipeline for handouts over self-governance and liberty, particularly when they are being more generous with public funds for non-citizens than for Americans. Being the world’s welfare state is unsustainable and only exacerbates our intra-national struggle with government dependency.