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President Donald Trump's administration has adopted a new legal interpretation aimed at forcing states to collaborate on immigration matters or risk losing food security funding.
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The new interpretation, released this Tuesday, requires states to report the presence of undocumented immigrants to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); otherwise, they run the risk of losing federal funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs.
The two programs are a vital part of the safety net for low-income families, as well as for elderly and disabled residents in the U.S.
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The previous opinion from the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, dating back to 1998, established that only those specific state agencies that administered TANF and SSI programs were required to provide information to federal immigration authorities.
The Department of Justice's review has expanded the obligation to report undocumented individuals to all states and not just specific agencies, the department stressed in a statement.
In that sense, Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiserranjeros said that public funds intended to help vulnerable Americans should not “perversely” encourage illegal entry into the country, but rather strengthen laws and borders.
The new ruling constitutes the latest signal of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policy. The ruling is expected to be challenged in the courts, which have in the past overturned other similar attempts to pressure states and cities.
[Publicidad]