Congress Passes Law Continuing SSI for "Not Qualified" Immigrants Who Were Receiving Assistance on August 22, 1998; President Will Sign

IMMIGRANTS & PUBLIC BENEFITS

E-Mail Benefits Update

CONGRESS PASSES LAW CONTINUING SSI FOR "NOT QUALIFIED" IMMIGRANTS WHO WERE RECEIVING ASSISTANCE ON AUGUST 22, 1998; PRESIDENT WILL SIGN
No. 98-19, October 13, 1998

Late on the evening of October 8, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 4558 by voice vote, restoring Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid eligibility to an estimated 12,000 elderly and disabled immigrants whom the Social Security Administration (SSA) codes as "not qualified."

The House had approved the measure on September 23 (see NILC Benefits Update 98-16), but the bipartisan bill stalled in the Senate due to a "hold" placed by Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX) which was finally removed on October 8, freeing the bill for swift passage.

The Administration supports the restoration and the President's signature is assured. On October 7, Social Security Commissioner Kenneth Apfel wrote to every U.S. Senator urging passage of the bill that "completes the 'grandfathering' of noncitizens which was begun in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act." Once signed by the President, the law will restore SSI eligibility to all immigrants who were receiving assistance when the welfare law was enacted on August 22, 1996. As Commissioner Apfel emphasized in his letter, the majority of the indigent immigrants are over 70 years of age and have lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years.

In the absence of legislative relief, the immigrants would have lost eligibility for income and medical care on September 30, 1998. Over the past six months, advocates worked tirelessly with the immigrants to update Social Security records, adjust their immigration status, and tell their tragic and compelling stories to members of Congress and the Administration. Many facing the cut-off had serious physical infirmities, mental disabilities, limited English proficiency, and desperate lack of any other resources to fall back on, rendering them vulnerable to hunger, sickness, homelessness and despair.

Advocates applaud the passage of H.R. 4558 for permanently restoring benefits to some of the neediest members of our communities. The text of the new legislation, the "Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998," is available online.