The architect of the proposal that introduced “DOGE dividend” checks to American citizens has recently clarified that millions of taxpaying immigrants lacking legal status will not qualify for these payments.
“Undocumented immigrants will never receive a DOGE dividend. They haven’t entered this country legally and don’t contribute to the system like U.S. citizens do,” asserted James Fishbank, CEO of an Arizona investment firm, during a recent interview. “They will absolutely not get a single penny,” he reiterated.
Fishbank also indicated that the legislation would include measures to prevent migrants without legal status from accessing these payments. “We are collaborating with our congressional partners to ensure the legislation accurately reflects the need for precision and security regarding these payments,” he explained. “You’ll likely see that in the bill,” he added.
🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL! $5,000 DOGE Stimulus Checks CONFIRMED by TRUMP!
⚠️ Another plane crash & Social Security chaos!
👉 https://t.co/ZFbqQoNZTZ [click to watch…yes it’s safe] pic.twitter.com/kokM0xK1BO
— HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) February 20, 2025
This initiative has garnered support from U.S. President Donald Trump and tech mogul Elon Musk. Although it remains unfinalized, the plan aims to redistribute a portion of the savings back to the public. “I spoke with Elon about a week and a half ago. One aspect he finds truly exciting about the DOGE dividend proposal that Azaria has introduced is that it incentivizes taxpayers in two ways,” Fishbank stated.
“It encourages them to report waste and builds trust in DOGE as a financial asset. You know, cutting spending is often unpopular, as it allows the media to misconstrue the situation,” he continued.
The proposal indicates that approximately 20 percent of the savings, generated by DOGE, will be redistributed to taxpayers through checks. Based on current savings of $115 billion, the DOGE website estimates that each U.S. taxpayer could receive around $142 if the funds were disbursed today.
However, nearly 40 percent of the contracts terminated by DOGE so far are unlikely to yield any financial savings for the government, raising concerns about the program’s overall effectiveness.
Supporters argue that future savings could reach up to $2 trillion, making $5,000 checks feasible. Almost 79 million American households would potentially qualify for these payments. This initiative aims to motivate the public to report inefficiencies and enhance further savings.
As millions of taxpayers lacking legal status would not be eligible for these benefits, there are concerns that their contributions to public finances may be overlooked. In 2022, immigrants in the U.S. contributed approximately $96.7 billion in taxes across state, federal, and local levels, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett on potential DOGE dividend: “I don’t know what $5,000 will do for you.” 😒🙄
The average American can’t afford an unexpected $400 expense, so $5k would do A LOT! 🤦♂️
The Democrats’ brains are so cooked…pic.twitter.com/Ja2D7vuFBd
— James Li (@5149jamesli) February 20, 2025
Out of this total, $59.4 billion went to the federal government, while $37.3 billion was allocated to local and state governments. This underscores the significant fiscal contributions made by individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
Fishbank expressed that he is actively engaged in ongoing discussions with lawmakers and is hopeful that legislation will be introduced “very soon.” Enacting the bill would require further approval from Congress, with potential payouts expected as early as the summer of 2026.
