DOGE Stimulus Check Update: Millions Will Not Qualify

The mastermind behind the proposal to issue “DOGE dividend” checks to Americans has confirmed to Newsweek that millions of taxpaying immigrants without legal status will not be eligible for the payments.

“Illegal immigrants are never going to get a DOGE dividend. They did not come into this country legally. They do not pay into the system the way that U.S. citizens do,” James Fishback, CEO of the Azoria investment firm, told Newsweek in an interview.

“They’re absolutely not going to get a penny,” he added.

Why It Matters

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by President Donald Trump’s billionaire backer and close confidant Elon Musk, is focused on slashing the government’s spending and has dissected multiple federal agencies.

Fishback has proposed using the savings to provide $5,000 checks to American taxpayers.

What To Know

Fishback said that there will be provisions in the legislation that will prevent migrants without legal status from accessing the payment.

“What we are working with our congressional partners on right now is making sure that legislation is reflecting the need for accuracy and security of these payments,” he said.

“I think you’ll see it in the bill,” he added.

The idea is backed by President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Musk, the plan seeks to return part of the savings to the public, though it has not yet been finalized.

“I spoke with Elon a week and a half ago And, you know, one thing that he’s really excited about with this DOGE dividend proposal that Azaria has put forward is it incentivizes the taxpayer two ways,” Fishback said.

“It incentivizes them to report waste. But it also incentivizes the taxpayer to trust in DOGE to be a part. You know, cutting spending is not necessarily popular because it allows the fake news to mischaracterize what is actually happening.”

The proposal states that 20 percent of the savings generated by DOGE would be returned to taxpayers through checks. Based on the current savings of $115 billion, the DOGE website estimates that each American taxpayer would receive approximately $142 if the funds were distributed today.

However, nearly 40 percent of the contracts terminated by DOGE so far are unlikely to generate financial savings for the government, raising questions about the program’s overall effectiveness.

Supporters argue that future savings could reach $2 trillion, making $5,000 checks possible.

Approximately 79 million American households could qualify for these payments, with the initiative encouraging the public to report inefficiencies to boost savings further.

As millions of taxpayers without legal status will not be eligible, excluding them from the DOGE dividend potentially overlooks their contributions to public revenue.

In 2022, these immigrants contributed approximately $96.7 billion in taxes at the federal, state, and local levels, according to the left-leaning think tank, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

Of this total, $59.4 billion was paid to the federal government, while $37.3 billion went to state and local governments, highlighting the significant fiscal contributions made by these individuals, despite their immigration status.

Fishback told Newsweek that he is engaged in ongoing discussions with lawmakers and expressed optimism that legislation will be introduced “very soon.”

The DOGE payment initiative faces a new obstacle as recent fiscal reports reveal that the expected savings from Musk’s department have not materialized.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the federal deficit increased by 5 percent in February, driven by a 7 percent rise in spending compared to the same period last year.

The DOGE stimulus plan proposes allocating 20 percent of the department’s savings to taxpayers and another 20 percent to reducing the national debt. It projects $2 trillion in savings over 18 months, which could provide $400 billion in direct payments—around $5,000 per check—to 79 million taxpayers.

However, the latest CBO figures raise doubts about the plan’s feasibility. The federal government borrowed $1.1 trillion during the first five months of Fiscal Year 2025, including $308 billion in February alone.

What People Are Saying

Brendan Duke, senior director for Federal Budget Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities previously told Newsweek: “The only way we are going to see a DOGE dividend at current course and speed is Congress pretending fake savings are real savings and enacting a deficit-financed tax cut on top of the $4.5 trillion in tax cuts they are considering as part of the extending the 2017 tax law.”

Lance Roberts, chief investment strategist and economist at RIA Advisors, told Newsweek: “If you increase demand, without a subsequent increase in supply, inflation is the result. A tax credit would be more beneficial in helping the bottom 50 percent of income tax payers that pay little or no taxes (they get a refund) but won’t create as big of a demand surge.”

What Happens Next

Fishback told Newsweek that legislation will be coming very soon.

Implementing the bill would require further approval by Congress, with the earliest potential payouts expected by the summer of 2026.