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Vermont Department for Children and Families Seasonal Fuel Assistance Rules Economic Services Division 2908 p.5 Verification

1. The Department must not require a person to provide evidence or documents to substantiate that the person is a citizen or national of the United States based solely on:

i. Race, color, or ethnicity;

ii. Dress or appearance;

iii. Religion;

iv. National origin;

v. Language or accent;

vi. Ethnic name; or

vii. Any combination of the factors above.

c. All non-citizens must provide appropriate documentation of immigration status.

d. The household must provide the Department with all required documentation in a timely manner.

1. The Department must refer to guidance published by the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to determine acceptable documentation to verify citizenship or immigration status.

e. Except as provided in this rule, the Department must verify the immigration status of every non- citizen in a household using SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) or another immigration status verification system established by the federal government.

f. The Department must not attempt to verify the immigration status of a household member if:

1. The household member requested the Department not to contact federal immigration authorities; or

2. The household member refuses to provide documentation of their citizenship or immigration status.

g. If the Department cannot verify the citizenship or immigration status of a person:

1. The Department must not count that person as a household member when calculating household size; and

2. The Department must include that person’s income when calculating household income.