8 U.S.C. § 1611 (ALIENS AND NATIONALITY)
§ 1611. Aliens who are not qualified aliens ineligible for Federal public benefits
(a) In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, an alien who is not a qualified alien (as defined in section 1641 of this title) is not eligible for any Federal public benefit (as defined in subsection (c) of this section).
(b) Exceptions
(1) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply with respect to the following Federal public benefits:
(A) Medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.] (or any successor program to such title) for care and services that are necessary for the treatment of an emergency medical condition (as defined in section 1903(v)(3) of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(3)]) of the alien involved and are not related to an organ transplant procedure, if the alien involved otherwise meets the eligibility requirements for medical assistance under the State plan approved under such title (other than the requirement of the receipt of aid or assistance under title IV of such Act [42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.], supplemental security income benefits under title XVI of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.], or a State supplementary payment).
(B) Short-term, non-cash, in-kind emergency disaster relief.
(C) Public health assistance (not including any assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.]) for immunizations with respect to immunizable diseases and for testing and treatment of symptoms of communicable diseases whether or not such symptoms are caused by a communicable disease.
(D) Programs, services, or assistance (such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling and intervention, and short-term shelter) specified by the Attorney General, in the Attorney General’s sole and unreviewable discretion after consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and departments, which (i) deliver in-kind services at the community level, including through public or private nonprofit agencies; (ii) do not condition the provision of assistance, the amount of assistance provided, or the cost of assistance provided on the individual recipient’s income or resources; and (iii) are necessary for the protection of life or safety.
(E) Programs for housing or community development assistance or financial assistance administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, any program under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.], or any assistance under section 1926c of title 7, to the extent that the alien is receiving such a benefit on August 22, 1996.
(2) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any benefit payable under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] to an alien who is lawfully present in the United States as determined by the Attorney General, to any benefit if nonpayment of such benefit would contravene an international agreement described in section 233 of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 433], to any benefit if nonpayment would be contrary to section 202(t) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 402(t)], or to any benefit payable under title II of the Social Security Act to which entitlement is based on an application filed in or before August 1996.
(3) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any benefit payable under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.] (relating to the medicare program) to an alien who is lawfully present in the United States as determined by the Attorney General and, with respect to benefits payable under part A of such title [42 U.S.C. 1395c et seq.], who was authorized to be employed with respect to any wages attributable to employment which are counted for purposes of eligibility for such benefits.
(4) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any benefit payable under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 [45 U.S.C. 231 et seq.] or the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act [45 U.S.C. 351 et seq.] to an alien who is lawfully present in the United States as determined by the Attorney General or to an alien residing outside the United States.
(5) Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to eligibility for benefits for the program defined in section 1612(a)(3)(A) of this title (relating to the supplemental security income program), or to eligibility for benefits under any other program that is based on eligibility for benefits under the program so defined, for an alien who was receiving such benefits on August 22, 1996.
(c) “Federal public benefit” defined
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), for purposes of this chapter the term “Federal public benefit” means—
(A) any grant, contract, loan, professional license, or commercial license provided by an agency of the United States or by appropriated funds of the United States; and
(B) any retirement, welfare, health, disability, public or assisted housing, postsecondary education, food assistance, unemployment benefit, or any other similar benefit for which payments or assistance are provided to an individual, household, or family eligibility unit by an agency of the United States or by appropriated funds of the United States.
(2) Such term shall not apply—
(A) to any contract, professional license, or commercial license for a nonimmigrant whose visa for entry is related to such employment in the United States, or to a citizen of a freely associated state, if section 141 of the applicable compact of free association approved in Public Law 99–239 or 99–658 (or a successor provision) is in effect;
(B) with respect to benefits for an alien who as a work authorized nonimmigrant or as an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.] qualified for such benefits and for whom the United States under reciprocal treaty agreements is required to pay benefits, as determined by the Attorney General, after consultation with the Secretary of State; or
(C) to the issuance of a professional license to, or the renewal of a professional license by, a foreign national not physically present in the United States.
(Pub. L. 104–193, title IV, § 401, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2261; Pub. L. 105–33, title V, §§ 5561, 5565, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 638, 639; Pub. L. 105–306, §§ 2, 5(a), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2926, 2927.)
heading: References in Text
text: The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as amended. Titles II, IV, XVI, XVIII, and XIX of the Act are classified generally to subchapters II (§ 401 et seq.), IV (§ 601 et seq.), XVI (§ 1381 et seq.), XVIII (§ 1395 et seq.), and XIX (§ 1396 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Part A of title XVIII of the Act is classified generally to part A (§ 1395c et seq.) of subchapter XVIII of chapter 7 of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.
The Housing Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(E), is act July 15, 1949, ch. 338, 63 Stat. 413, as amended. Title V of the Act is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 1471 et seq.) of chapter 8A of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1441 of Title 42 and Tables.
The Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), is act Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 812, as amended generally by Pub. L. 93–445, title I, § 101, Oct. 16, 1974, 88 Stat. 1305, which is classified generally to subchapter IV (§ 231 et seq.) of chapter 9 of Title 45, Railroads. For further details and complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Codification note set out preceding section 231 of Title 45, section 231t of Title 45, and Tables.
The Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), is act June 25, 1938, ch. 680, 52 Stat. 1094, which is classified principally to chapter 11 (§ 351 et seq.) of Title 45, Railroads. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 367 of Title 45 and Tables.
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), was in the original “this title” meaning title IV of Pub. L. 104–193, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2260, which enacted this chapter, section 1183a of this title, and sections 611a and 1437y of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, amended section 1383 of this title, sections 32 and 6213 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, and sections 1436a and 1471 of Title 42, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 1183a of this title and section 32 of Title 26. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Tables.
Section 141 of the applicable compact of free association approved in Public Law 99–239 or 99–658, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(A), means section 141 of the Compact of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, which is contained in section 201 of Pub. L. 99–239, set out as a note under section 1901 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions, and section 141 of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Government of Palau, which is contained in section 201 of Pub. L. 99–658, set out as a note under section 1931 of Title 48.
The Immigration and Nationality Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(B), is act June 27, 1952, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163, as amended, which is classified principally to chapter 12 (§ 1101 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1101 of this title and Tables.
heading: Amendments
text: 1998—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 105–306, § 2, added par. (5).
Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 105–306, § 5(a), added subpar. (C).
1997—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 105–33, § 5561(a), added par. (3).
Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 105–33, § 5561(b), added par. (4).
Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 105–33, § 5565, inserted before semicolon “, or to a citizen of a freely associated state, if section 141 of the applicable compact of free association approved in Public Law 99–239 or 99–658 (or a successor provision) is in effect”.
heading: Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 105–33 effective as if included in the enactment of title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–193, see section 5582 of Pub. L. 105–33, set out as a note under section 1367 of this title.
heading: Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and Transfer of Functions
text: For abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under section 1551 of this title.
heading: Additional Funding for State Emergency Health Services Furnished to Undocumented Aliens
text: Pub. L. 105–33, title IV, § 4723, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 515, provided that:
“(a) Total Amount Available for Allotment.—
There are available for allotments under this section for each of the 4 consecutive fiscal years (beginning with fiscal year 1998) $25,000,000 for payments to certain States under this section.
“(b) State Allotment Amount.—
“(1) In general.—
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall compute an allotment for each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 1998 and ending with fiscal year 2001 for each of the 12 States with the highest number of undocumented aliens. The amount of such allotment for each such State for a fiscal year shall bear the same ratio to the total amount available for allotments under subsection (a) for the fiscal year as the ratio of the number of undocumented aliens in the State in the fiscal year bears to the total of such numbers for all such States for such fiscal year. The amount of allotment to a State provided under this paragraph for a fiscal year that is not paid out under subsection (c) shall be available for payment during the subsequent fiscal year.
“(2) Determination.—
For purposes of paragraph (1), the number of undocumented aliens in a State under this section shall be determined based on estimates of the resident illegal alien population residing in each State prepared by the Statistics Division of the Immigration and Naturalization Service as of October 1992 (or as of such later date if such date is at least 1 year before the beginning of the fiscal year involved).
“(c) Use of Funds.—
From the allotments made under subsection (b), the Secretary shall pay to each State amounts the State demonstrates were paid by the State (or by a political subdivision of the State) for emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens.
“(d) State Defined.—
For purposes of this section, the term ‘State’ includes the District of Columbia.
“(e) State Entitlement.—
This section constitutes budget authority in advance of appropriations Acts and represents the obligation of the Federal Government to provide for the payment to States of amounts provided under this section.”
heading: Study and Report on Alien Student Eligibility for Postsecondary Federal Student Financial Assistance
text: Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title V, § 506, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–672, provided that not later than one year after Sept. 30, 1996, the Comptroller General was to submit to Congress a report on the extent to which aliens who were not lawfully admitted for permanent residence were receiving postsecondary Federal student financial assistance, and the Secretary of Education and the Commissioner of Social Security were jointly to submit to Congress a report on the computer matching program of the Department of Education under section 1091(p) of title 20.