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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 12/2014

CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION STATUS

0011.03

Citizenship or immigration status affects eligibility. United States citizens are always eligible if they meet other eligibility criteria. Eligibility of non-citizens depends on their U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) classification and varies among programs. See 0010.18.11 (Verifying Citizenship and Immigration Status), 0010.18.12 (Verifying Lawful Temporary Residence), 0010.18.15 (Verifying Lawful Permanent Residence), 0010.18.21 (Identify Non-Immigrant or Undocumented People) to determine citizenship or immigration classification of clients.

Immigration status can change. Check with participants at appropriate intervals to see if their status has changed. For example:

● Check 5 years after the date of entry for people who entered after 8-22-96.

● Check progress periodically for those required to be in citizenship classes.

● Check when the citizenship waiting period is over.

● Check at the ending date for non-citizens who are granted status with an ending date.

A status change could possibly mean a change from state to federal benefits or from ineligibility to eligibility.

Non-citizens are people present in the United States who have not attained United States citizenship by birth or naturalization. Non-citizens who are lawfully residing in the United States meet the technical requirement for immigration status, but their eligibility for the source of funding for cash and food assistance may be state or federal, depending on immigration status and date of entry. Non-citizens fall into the following broad categories:

● LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS (LPR): LPRs are immigrants who have been granted permission to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis.

● PEOPLE FLEEING PERSECUTION: Includes refugees, people granted asylum or withholding of deportation (or removal), Cuban or Haitian entrants, and Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam.

● LAWFULLY RESIDING NON-CITIZENS: Includes people with permission to live and work in the United States on a temporary basis, such as people granted parole, temporary protected status (TPS), deferred enforced departure (DED), or other temporary status.

● NON-IMMIGRANT: People such as tourists, students, business visitors, and others who have permission to enter the United States for a limited period of time, but have not abandoned their residence in their home country.

● UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE: People who do not have permission to enter or stay in the United States.

Also see the following sections to determine whether people fall into eligible or ineligible classes of immigration status:

0011.03.03 Non-Citizens - MFIP/DWP Cash .

0011.03.06 Non-Citizens - MFIP Food Portion.

0011.03.09 Non-Citizens - SNAP/MSA/GA/GRH.

0011.03.12 Non-Citizens - Lawful Permanent Residents.

0011.03.12.03 Non-Citizens - Adjustment of Status.

0011.03.15 Non-Citizens - LPR With Sponsors.

0011.03.17 Non-Citizens - Public Charge.

0011.03.18 Non-Citizens - People Fleeing Persecution.