S. 3318: American Citizens First Act


Quick Facts:

Bill Sponsor: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)

Congress: 119

Date Introduced: Dec. 3, 2025

Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Dec. 3, 2025)

View on Congress.gov

American Citizens First Act

This bill-

  • Cuts off eligibility for nearly all federal public benefits for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or national (welfare or cash assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance, student financial aid, and refundable tax credits);
  • Authorizes the government to strip U.S. citizenship from naturalized citizens if they are convicted of (or "credibly found" by the DHS to have participated in) a riot, violent protest involving property destruction, or acts intended to disrupt the constitutional order;
  • Mandates a comprehensive security review (including new biometric checks and interviews) for all Afghan nationals admitted to the U.S. as refugees or parolees since January 20, 2021;
    • Suspends processing until after the reviews.
    • Subjects those found to be "security risks" to expedited removal.
  • Expands expedited removal to cover illegal aliens regardless of the period after which they illegally entered;
  • Provides for the automatic termination of TPS for specific national groups if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines their home country is safe enough or if the group’s "crime rate" exceeds a certain threshold; and
  • Prohibits the use of federal funds for resettlement support for Afghan nationals until specific security certifications are met.

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