Democrats in the Minnesota Senate passed legislation that would create a $40 million one-time fund to provide rental assistance to people living across Minnesota. However, illegal aliens could be able to access that money as well.
Authored by DFL Sen. Lindsey Port, SF 3596 will disperse $40 million to Minnesota’s counties and American Indian tribal governments to be used as emergency rental assistance for eligible residents. The bill would prioritize households with children.
Offering that bill on the Senate floor Wednesday, Port said Minnesota families are struggling to pay for basic needs and her bill would “prevent homelessness and keep families stable and housed.” Port indicated that her proposed rental assistance fund was a response to Operation Metro Surge.
The $40 million appropriation is what remains of a $109 million fund that was set up by the legislature several years ago. That $109 million fund was used to pay legal settlements to Minnesotans whose homes were wrongfully seized by the government.
On Wednesday, Port said the $40 million that remains is slated to return to the state’s general fund. Port said using the $40 million to house families would honor the 94-year-old Minneapolis woman who helped win the $109 million legal settlement.
During debate on the bill, GOP Sen. Michael Kreun offered an amendment to ensure that 5% of the proposed $40 million fund will be used to detect and prevent fraud in the emergency rental assistance program. That amendment was passed in a voice vote.
Republican Sen. Eric Pratt offered an amendment requiring rental assistance applicants prove they qualify rather than just attest to qualification. That amendment passed as well.
GOP Sen. Eric Lucero tried to amend SF 3596 to ensure that only U.S. citizens and legal residents can use the rental assistance funds. However, Senate Democrats, who have a one-seat majority, blocked that amendment in a 33-34, party-line vote.
Port lobbied against the Lucero amendment, saying that the Trump administration could rescind legal status for various groups on a whim.
After SF 3596 was passed off the Senate floor in a 35-32 vote, Republicans slammed the fund.
“While fraud is running rampant across the state, Democrats demand hardworking taxpayers fund yet another new $40 million housing program,” Lucero said. “In spite of the Republican-led improvements, it’s this exact kind of program fraudsters are looking for, and there is still no requirement the payments go only to legal residents.”
Shortly after the Senate passed SF 3596, Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth said “this bill has no path forward in the Minnesota House, especially when it seeks to provide yet another taxpayer-funded giveaway to illegal immigrants.”
The Minnesota House of Representatives is currently split with 67 Republicans and 67 Democrats.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
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