The architect of the proposal distributing “DOGE dividend” checks to American citizens has confirmed that millions of taxpaying immigrants lacking legal status will not be eligible to receive these payments.
“Undocumented immigrants will never receive a DOGE dividend. They did not enter this country legally and do not contribute to the system like U.S. citizens do,” remarked James Fishback, CEO of the Arizona investment firm, in a recent interview. “They will not receive a single cent,” he added.
Fishback also mentioned that the legislation will include measures to ensure that migrants without legal status cannot access these funds. “We are currently collaborating with our congressional partners to ensure that the legislation emphasizes accuracy and security in the distribution of these payments,” he stated. “You will see those provisions within the bill,” he further noted.
This initiative has also received support from U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk. Although still unfinalized, the plan aims to return a portion of the savings to the public. “I spoke with Elon about a week and a half ago, and he’s particularly enthusiastic about this DOGE dividend proposal put forward by Azaria, as it incentivizes taxpayers in two significant ways,” Fishback shared.
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“It encourages them to report inefficiencies. Additionally, it inspires confidence in DOGE among taxpayers. Cutting spending may not be well-received because it allows misleading narratives to thrive,” he observed.
The proposal outlines that approximately 20 percent of the savings will be generated through DOGE and returned to taxpayers via checks. Given the current savings of $115 billion, the DOGE website estimates that each U.S. taxpayer could receive around $142 if the funds were distributed immediately.
However, about 40 percent of the contracts terminated by DOGE thus far are unlikely to yield any financial savings for the government, raising concerns regarding the program’s overall effectiveness.
Advocates argue that future savings could amount to as much as $2 trillion, making $5,000 checks feasible. Nearly 79 million American households could qualify for these payments. This initiative aims to motivate the public to report inefficiencies and promote additional savings.
As millions of taxpayers without legal status will not be able to access these benefits, they may be overlooked despite their contributions to public revenue. According to the left-leaning think tank, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, immigrants in the U.S. contributed approximately $96.7 billion in taxes at the federal, state, and local levels in 2022.
Of this total, $59.4 billion was directed to the federal government, while $37.3 billion was allocated to local and state governments. This underscores the significant fiscal contributions made by these individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
Fishback further stated that he is actively engaged in discussions with lawmakers and expressed confidence that legislation will be introduced “very soon.” The implementation of this bill would require further congressional approval, with the earliest payouts anticipated by the summer of 2026.
