Hello, I wanted to make you aware of something that could have a major impact on families like yours. Right now, lawmakers in Washington are debating a budget proposal put forth by Republicans that would deny the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to millions of American children, no matter of whether the children are U.S. citizens.
Yes, you heard that right. The regulations would get a lot tougher if the bill is signed into law. Families where both parents have Social Security numbers would no longer be eligible for the tax credit, even if their children are citizens or legal residents.
What does the new requirement mean for you
Under the current law, only your child must have a Social Security number to qualify for the CTC. But the new proposal says you and your spouse also need to have valid Social Security numbers. If even one of you doesn’t, then your kids could lose the credit entirely.
This would most harm mixed-status families, where one parent is undocumented or in the U.S. on a visa that doesn’t allow them to have a Social Security number (like some student or work visas). That is, families doing everything legally could still be cut out.
How many children are at risk?
As noted in recent reports, such a change would affect an estimated 4.5 million children across the country. The states that would be most impacted are California, Texas, and Florida.
Think about that. That’s millions of kids who would stand to lose as much as $2,000 a year per child—money that’s spent on food, clothes, school supplies, and so on.
A boost—But with a catch
The bill’s sponsors say it would increase the Child Tax Credit to $2,500 per child from 2025 to 2028 from $2,000. They also want to index it yearly for inflation so that families don’t lose value as the years go by. Here’s the catch, though: if you don’t meet the new immigration or Social Security number standards, that hike won’t do you any good at all.
So yes, the credit might grow for some families, but millions of others would lose it completely.
“Treated differently”—Even if you’re born here
Experts are concerned that this bill would treat some children as second-class, just because of their parents’ immigration status. Shelby Gonzales, an immigration policy expert, pointed out that under this plan, even citizen children would be denied support just because one parent doesn’t have the right documentation.
That’s a dramatic shift—and one that many say will drive struggling families further into poverty.
What’s next?
The bill squeaked through the House, and now it’s in the Senate’s hands. It’s far from a sure thing—but it’s gaining momentum. If it’s signed into law, many families like yours might see a big impact on their finances as soon as 2025.
So if your family relies on the Child Tax Credit to make ends meet, now is the time to stay in the know—and be heard.
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