Pro-children group blasts GOP tax credit proposal

A pro-children group is blasting a GOP proposal that would prevent unauthorized workers from claiming the additional child tax credit.

{mosads}The plan from Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) would pay for rolling back military pension cuts included in December’s budget deal, and for extending expired unemployment benefits.

But First Focus Campaign for Children says the plan comes “when child poverty is already at the highest level in a generation.”

“This proposal targets millions of the most vulnerable children in America and threatens to drive even more children into poverty,” Bruce Lesley, the group’s president, said in a statement. “And our message to members of Congress: find a smarter solution, and don’t cut kids.”

First Focus has previously said that the tax credit – which pays up to $1,000 per qualifying child – can be a lifeline for children in need. The group has also suggested that targeting the credit claims by illegal immigrants can hurt children that didn’t choose to come to the U.S.

A Treasury inspector general has said previously that the IRS paid $4.2 billion in child credits to unauthorized workers in 2010.

Top Democrats like Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) have said they’re not fans of Ayotte’s proposal.

The child tax credit has received support from both sides of the aisle, with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) calling to expand the tax break.