The Trump administration unveiled a broad policy shift on Thursday that blocks undocumented immigrants from receiving a wide range of federally funded social assistance programs.
According to the Washington Examiner, the new rules apply to food stamps, homelessness support, Title X family planning services, and substance abuse treatment programs.
The changes stem from a reinterpretation of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), originally signed by President Bill Clinton. The administration is reversing a 1998 directive that had granted undocumented immigrants limited access to certain public health benefits.
“For too long, taxpayers have watched their hard-earned dollars used to incentivize illegal immigration,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a statement. He said the policy aims to restore integrity to social programs, enforce existing law, and protect public resources for American citizens.
One major target is the Head Start program, which offers early education, nutrition, and family support to low-income households with young children. Under the new policy, only U.S. citizens and legal residents will be eligible.
The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that this shift could redirect as much as $374 million each year to eligible participants. Head Start, which serves about a million families annually, had a $12.3 billion budget in fiscal year 2024.
“By reclassifying Head Start as a federal public benefit under PRWORA, we ensure taxpayer-funded services go to those who lawfully qualify,” said Andrew Gradison, Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps feed more than 42 million Americans, will also be impacted. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the new regulations correct years of misuse. “Illegal aliens should not be receiving government funds,” she stated, emphasizing ongoing efforts to curb fraud and waste.
According to the Washington Examiner, the policy shift is tied to the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a major budget reconciliation measure signed by President Trump.
Citing data from the Urban Institute, the article notes that as many as 22.3 million American families could lose or see reductions in their SNAP benefits as a result of the new law.
Other affected programs include WIC (nutrition assistance for women, infants, and children), federally subsidized school meal programs, and the USDA’s disaster food assistance efforts.
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