U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a sweeping policy change Thursday that bars illegal immigrants from accessing several federal programs, including Head Start, community health centers, mental health and substance use treatment services, and the Title X family planning program.
Kennedy’s decision stemmed from a February executive order by President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to tighten restrictions on illegal immigrants’ access to taxpayer-funded services. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) argues that previous administrations, particularly the Clinton administration, unlawfully permitted exceptions to the 1996 welfare reform law.
While illegal immigrants were already barred from most federal benefits, this policy expands the list of programs classified as federal benefits, now totaling 44 programs, up from 31. The policy is effective immediately, with a 30-day period for public comment.
Some prominent voices have criticized the move, warning that it harms vulnerable children and ignores established benefits of programs like Head Start. Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association, stated that the decision undermines the country’s commitment to children and disregards decades of evidence supporting the program’s importance.
“This decision undermines the fundamental commitment that the country has made to children and disregards decades of evidence that Head Start is essential to our collective future,” Vinci told Axios in a statement. “The Head Start Act has never required documentation of immigration status as a condition for enrollment over the last 60 years,” she added.
“Attempts to impose such a requirement threaten to create fear and confusion among all families who are focused on raising healthy children, ready to succeed in school and life.”
While the new guidance has sparked controversy, supporters contend that it prevents the misuse of public resources and discourages illegal immigration.
The Wall Street Journal has additional details on the government’s efforts:
The practical impact of the change is expected to be relatively small as immigrants without legal status don’t qualify for most federal benefits. In February, President Trump issued an executive order aimed at preventing immigrants without legal status from obtaining taxpayer-funded benefits and directed agencies to identify any relevant federal programs.
Kennedy said he was rescinding a decades-old interpretation of a 1996 law known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act that had “improperly extended certain federal public benefits to illegal aliens.”
The move is the latest in a series of steps that furthers Trump’s goal of cracking down on illegal immigration, a key promise of his campaign.
Conservatives have long argued that access to social programs incentivizes people to enter the country illegally and urged the administration to bar anyone without legal status from obtaining taxpayer-funded benefits. As part of negotiations over Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill,” which was signed into law earlier this month, the White House promised members of the House Freedom Caucus that the president would issue several executive actions targeting illegal immigration.
Thursday’s development is only a part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown. Other agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture and Labor, are also implementing policies to prevent those living here illegally from receiving taxpayer-funded benefits.
The changes are subject to a 30-day public comment period, after which further guidance may be issued.
READ NEXT: The State Department’s Haircut Didn’t Go Far Enough: We Need An Emergency Amputation
The only thing every person in the USA should have free access to is communicable disease centers.