Opinion ID: 2082423
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

Text: After extensive debate, Congress enacted PRWORA as a comprehensive reform initiative designed to end welfare as we know it. [4] PRWORA touches on virtually all aspects of welfare. In this case, however, we are concerned only with title IV of PRWORA, which deals with aliens. [5] In its preamble to title IV, Congress stressed that its goals were to promote self-sufficiencyan enduring principle of United States immigration lawand to discourage aliens from immigrating here just to avail themselves of welfare or other public resources ( see, 8 USC § 1601 [1]-[2]). The lawmakers stated that meeting these goals was a compelling government interest ( see, 8 USC § 1601 [5]-[6]). By enacting title IV, Congress restricted alien eligibility for federally funded public assistance benefits (including Medicaid) and authorized States to follow suit with their own programs. Its restrictions govern eligibility for Federal and State retirement, welfare, health, disability, public or assisted housing, post-secondary education, food assistance and unemployment benefits, among others ( see, 8 USC § 1611 [c]; § 1621 [c]). For purposes of this decision, however, we address solely its effect on Medicaid eligibility. Under title IV, aliens are divided into two categories: qualified aliens and non-qualified aliens ( see, 8 USC § 1641). Broadly speaking, qualified aliens include aliens who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence (generally green card holders), granted asylum, designated refugees, paroled into the United States for at least one year, having their deportation withheld, granted conditional entry, Cuban and Haitian entrants or victims of battering or extreme cruelty by a spouse or other family member ( see, 8 USC § 1641 [b]-[c]). All other aliens, including PRUCOLs, are non-qualified aliens. [6] Plaintiffs in this case fall into both categories. The lawfully admitted permanent resident plaintiffs are qualified aliens and the PRUCOL plaintiffs non-qualified aliens. These classifications carry significant Medicaid consequences. 1.