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Welfare Reform: Many States Continue Some Federal or State Benefits for Immigrants

HEHS-98-132 Published: Jul 31, 1998. Publicly Released: Jul 31, 1998.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the impact its restrictions would have on immigrant children and their families, focusing on: (1) the options states chose regarding Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid benefits for immigrants and state-funded assistance available to new immigrants during the 5-year bar; (2) for restricted federal programs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and food stamps, the number of immigrants, including children, whose federal benefits have been terminated, and the state-funded assistance available to them; and (3) the major implementation issues and challenges state agencies face in administering the provisions changing welfare assistance to immigrants.

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Electronic benefits transfersEligibility determinationsFood relief programsImmigrantsMedicaidPublic assistance programsState programsState-administered programsWelfare benefitsSupplemental security income