The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced a ban preventing illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer-funded benefits through the agency.
This marks a significant policy shift reversing a longstanding interpretation of federal law.
Since 1998, HHS had interpreted the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to allow certain federal public benefits to be accessible to illegal immigrants.
This interpretation was initially established during the Clinton administration and has been in place for more than two decades.
This week, HHS officially rescinded that interpretation, signaling a move to restrict benefits exclusively to legal residents and citizens.
The decision reflects a broader effort to curb illegal immigration incentives tied to federal social programs.
In a statement on Thursday, Kennedy emphasized that government funds have been improperly diverted for years to support illegal immigration.
He framed the new policy as restoring integrity to federal programs, enforcing the rule of law, and protecting resources for Americans, per the Conservative Brief.
The benefits now denied to illegal immigrants encompass a wide range of health and social services.
These include Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, Community Mental Health Services Block Grants, and the Community Services