Overview

• HHS rescinded its 1998 interpretation of the 1996 welfare law to classify 44 programs as federal public benefits and block undocumented immigrants from accessing them.
• On July 10, the Education, Agriculture and Labor departments issued similar rules restricting undocumented immigrants’ eligibility for workforce, adult education and nutrition assistance programs.
• The policy takes effect upon its publication in the Federal Register and immediately triggers a 30-day public comment period.
• Preliminary HHS analysis estimates that reserving Head Start slots for citizens could free up as much as $374 million in additional services annually.
• Advocacy groups caution that cutting undocumented immigrants off these programs may undermine safety-net support for low-income and vulnerable populations and face imminent legal challenges.