Federal Resources

HHS - Adminstration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement
HHS - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Q&A guidances explain current rules governing immigrants' eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP

HHS interpretation of “Federal Public Benefit” identifying HHS programs that fit within the 1996 welfare law’s definition (August 4, 1998)
Interagency Notice on INS (USCIS) reporting - guidance for benefit granting agencies (DOJ, INS, HHS, DOL, SSA, September 28, 2000) [HTML]
Public Charge Guidance - clarifies the definition of “public charge” and types of government assistance that do and do not affect a public charge determination by INS (USCIS) (DOJ-INS May 26, 1999) [HTML]
“Final Specification of Community Programs Necessary for the Protection of Life and Safety,” Attorney General’s guidance that identifies community programs, services, or assistance for which all non-citizens remain eligible (DOJ January 16, 2001) [HTML]
DOJ pamphlet on “Federal Protection Against National Origin Discrimination” (Available in Arabic, Cambodian, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hmong, Korean, Laotian, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese)
DOJ Initiative to Combat the Post September 11th Discriminatory Backlash
Information on how to file a civil rights complaint with DOJ Civil Rights Division
Institute of Medicine Report: “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care” (March 20, 2002)
USDA Food and Nutrition Services immigrant information:
- USDA immigrant eligibility and access guidance: “Non-Citizen Requirements in the Food Stamp Program” (January 2003)
- Food Stamp program: “Nutrition Benefits and Public Charge: Effect on Immigration Status”

Federal Resources

HHS Email updates