Dear Friend,

Telegram readers know all too well about the epidemic of immigration fraud in Minnesota, where nearly half visa holders were found to have submitted fraudulent applications.

But that is not the only type of immigration fraud going on.

This past weekend, it was revealed that the niece and grandniece of the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani were living a lavish lifestyle in the U.S.

Even more concerning, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar repeatedly promoted pro-regime propaganda and even returned to Iran multiple times after receiving asylum before obtaining a green card in 2021.

If someone claims they are fleeing danger and asks the United States for asylum, why would they turn around and travel back to the very country they say they had to escape?

Here’s the bottom line: People who are truly “fleeing persecution” do not book round-trip tickets back to the danger they claim to be running from.

That’s why this week I introduced the Stopping Asylum Fraudsters Enforcement and Removal Act, also known as the SAFER Act.

Under my legislation, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General would be prohibited from granting asylum to any individual who has returned to the country they claim to be fleeing.

In short, if you claim that you face danger in your country of origin, you cannot treat that same country like a vacation destination and still expect to retain protected status in the United States.

I will continue fighting to restore integrity to our immigration laws, enforce accountability, and ensure that American generosity is not taken advantage of. You can read more about the SAFER Act from Fox News here.

Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us! We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Tiffany Telegram.

Sincerely,





Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress

Click here to learn more about the SAFER Act and stopping asylum fraudsters.

Leave no American behind

This week, Americans learned of the daring rescue of two downed US airmen in Iran carried out by our brave servicemembers. But there was another effort undertaken to free an American in neighboring Iraq that you may not have heard as much about. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Trump administration worked together with local authorities to secure the release of journalist Shelly Kittleson, a Wisconsin native and graduate of Darlington High School, who was abducted by Iran-backed terrorists near Baghdad in March. This is great news, and it underscores our long-standing commitment to making sure that no American will ever be left behind. You can read more about it here.

Service Academy Day

Last weekend, we had a great turnout at my annual Service Academy Day. Students who were interested in serving in our nation’s military were able to hear tips and advice directly from representatives of each academy. I also had the pleasure of calling Benjamin Engelhart of New Richmond to congratulate him on his appointment to the Merchant Marine Academy. All high school students admitted to our nation's military service academies must first receive a nomination from at least one member of their state's Congressional Delegation, the Vice President, or the President of the United States. Accepted students receive a fully funded, four-year university education and a commission as a U.S. military officer upon graduation. Click here for more information on receiving my nomination.

Thank you to the students, parents, and service academy representatives for attending my Service Academy Day.

Recent Legislation

Protecting the safety net from scammers 

For years, politicians have enabled waste, fraud, and abuse in our social welfare programs by simply looking the other way. In states from California to Minnesota, that has allowed scammers to cheat Americans out of billions of dollars – defrauding taxpayers and hurting our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. Recent news reports have detailed how loopholes in federal food stamp programs have been exploited to siphon funds from those who need it most and give it to people who are living large. By using what is known as “categorical eligibility” for welfare programs, some states automatically qualify people for welfare without requiring them to submit any proof that they are in need of help. This means that some people who are receiving food stamps shouldn’t be. And the results have been expensive – costing the American people nearly seven billion dollars. In order to close these loopholes, I signed on to legislation authored by Rep. Ben Cline (VA-06) known as the No Welfare for the Wealthy Act. This common-sense bill simply requires that, instead of automatically being enrolled in food stamp programs, individuals demonstrate that they qualify. This will help ensure these critical safety net programs remain solvent for those who truly need them, not become an easy target for abuse by those looking to game the system.

Make dental & vision care fair again

This week, I cosponsored the Dental and Optometric Care Access (DOC Access) Act. A bipartisan piece of legislation that pushes back on abusive practices by middlemen that boost costs and limit patient and local provider choice. With fewer plans dominating these markets, insurers often use contract provisions to control pricing for non-covered items and services and to restrict a provider’s choice of laboratory or supplier, even though the plan is not paying for those services. The DOC Access Act would use safeguards to federally regulated plans so patients and doctors can make decisions based on what is best in the exam room. This is similar to reforms many states have already adopted, including Wisconsin, and it helps lower costs, improve transparency, and expand access to care in our communities. Families should be able to see a dentist or optometrist without jumping through hoops or paying inflated prices because a big insurer is calling the shots. You can read the full bill text here.

District Update

Photo of the week

After experiencing late March snow, it looks like temperatures are on the rise. I hope you’re able to take advantage of it and get outside. If you have a photo of Wisconsin you would like the share, please send it to [email protected] with your name and location. Your photo could be featured in next week’s Telegram!

“Summer’s Coming” – Submitted by Jim of Mosinee

Resources

Vacation is meant to be relaxing, so don’t let renewing or applying for your passport stress you out. The current processing time is 4 to 6 weeks, so we recommend getting this done as soon as possible. For more information, click here.

If a friend forwarded you this newsletter, and you would like to receive it in the future, you can subscribe here for weekly updates and connect with me on X, Facebook, and Instagram. 

As always, you are welcome to visit my website or to contact my offices in Washington, DC or Wisconsin, which remain open for service, if you have any questions or need assistance.

Follow Rep. Tiffany