The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Thursday it is rolling back a long-standing interpretation of federal law that allowed undocumented immigrants to access certain public health and education benefits, including Head Start and community health centers.
The move, backed by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reverses a 1998 interpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) — a 1996 law that limited access to federal benefits for many immigrants. For nearly three decades, that interpretation had allowed undocumented immigrants to use certain federally funded services such as Head Start, health centers, and substance use treatment programs.
Head Start served over 833,000 children and pregnant women in fiscal year 2022, providing early education, nutrition, and health services to low-income families.
“For too long, the government has diverted hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration,” Kennedy said in a statement. “Today’s action changes that—it restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people.”
HHS stated the updated guidance “reverses outdated exclusions” and aligns more closely with the original language of PRWORA. The new interpretation eliminates exemptions that previously allowed undocumented immigrants to access these federal services.
The change is effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register, though the agency will accept public comments for 30 days.
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