DOJ Issues Guidance on State Reporting of Undocumented Immigrants in Welfare

The Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel has clarified that state agencies participating in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs must report individuals known to be unlawfully present in the U.S. to the Department of Homeland Security. This legal opinion updates a 1998 interpretation, potentially impacting welfare program administration and immigration enforcement.