The current White House administration continues to ignore or wage open warfare on the poor and underserved. One group under attack includes citizens married to immigrants who do not have a social security number (SSN). The Trump administration denied these citizens stimulus funds issued as part of the $2.2 trillion federal coronavirus relief package (CARES Act) signed into law on March 27.

This act is intended to disburse $1,200 each in emergency stimulus money to Americans who filed taxes reflecting earnings of $75,000 or less in adjusted gross income in 2018 or 2019 and had valid SSNs. The law creates an exception for spouses of military personnel, but specifically excludes those married to individuals without SSNs. The IRS, who disbursed the checks, included an additional $500 in stimulus funds for each child under 17-years-old claimed on the applicable tax return.

Class action filed

A 15-page class-action lawsuit was filed April 24 against President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Acting Department of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, alleging that the federal government denied payments to approximately 1.2 million citizens who filed taxes jointly with spouses who are immigrants.

The complaint reads, in part: “Defendants have intentionally and/or recklessly punished certain United States citizens and their children from receiving the Stimulus Check for the sole reason of who they chose to marry.”

The suit goes on to point out that this action is a violation of the First, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution.

Families unfairly singled out in this way may wish to contact Blaise & Nitschke, P.C., which filed this class action to get the CARES Act stimulus money that citizens are legally entitled to. These legal professionals are deeply committed to seeking justice regarding this matter.