{"id":2653641,"date":"2026-09-02T14:51:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T18:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/states-must-report-illegal-immigrants-or-risk-losing-welfare-funds-doj\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T14:54:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T18:54:49","slug":"states-must-report-illegal-immigrants-or-risk-losing-welfare-funds-doj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/states-must-report-illegal-immigrants-or-risk-losing-welfare-funds-doj\/","title":{"rendered":"States must report illegal immigrants or risk losing welfare funds: DOJ"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fstates-must-report-illegal-immigrants-or-risk-losing-welfare-funds-doj%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2653641&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>States that accept federal welfare funds are now required to report all individuals they know to be illegally present in the U.S. to federal authorities, not just welfare recipients.This requirement applies broadly to all state agencies, including those outside welfare offices, such as motor vehicle and law enforcement agencies, and must be fulfilled at least four times annually or upon request. The Justice Department specified in a new legal opinion that this requirement is grounded in existing law and that states refusing to comply risk losing federal funding for programs like TANF and SSI. The guidance clarifies that knowledge of illegal presence can be established by various means, including information from DHS, admissions by individuals, or expired legal status. This reverses a previous 1998 opinion that limited reporting obligations to agencies directly administering welfare. The move emphasizes that participating in federal aid programs entails an obligation to report illegal immigrants, with notable funding repercussions for non-compliance. The Department of Justice anticipates ongoing administrative steps to define enforcement procedures, and while current guidance is non-retroactive, future noncompliance could threaten federal funding.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">States accepting federal <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/welfare\/\">welfare<\/a> funds must require all state agencies, not just welfare offices, to report known <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/illegal-immigration\/\">illegal immigrants<\/a> to federal authorities or risk losing funding for the programs, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> said Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/olc\/media\/1459981\/dl\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/olc\/media\/1459981\/dl\">new opinion<\/a> published Wednesday, the department\u2019s Office of Legal Counsel concluded that a reporting mandate in the 1996 welfare reform law applies across state governments participating in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, known as TANF, and certain Supplemental Security Income agreements. States that refuse to comply could lose federal funding tied to those programs.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4710060\/states-report-illegal-immigrants-enrolled-welfare-programs-federal-government\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>States must report illegal immigrants enrolled in welfare programs to federal government, DOJ says<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4709446\/doj-expands-beef-price-antitrust-investigation-grocery-stores\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ expands beef price antitrust investigation to eight grocery stores<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4709349\/tiger-woods-license-suspension-dui-crash\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Tiger Woods\u2019s license suspended for five years over DUI rollover crash<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur clarification does not impose new obligations on states,\u201d said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Craddock, who wrote the opinion. \u201cIt simply restores the original meaning of the statute Congress enacted and ensures that DHS receives the information it is legally entitled to. States that accept TANF funding must abide by federal law, and failure to comply may lead to serious consequences, including loss of program funding.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opinion said participating states must give the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\/\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> names, addresses, and other identifying information about people whom their agencies know are illegally present in the United States.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the requirement would include illegal immigrants enrolled in welfare programs, it is not limited to welfare recipients. Because the law applies to the state as a whole, information held by other agencies, possibly including motor vehicle departments and law enforcement agencies, must also be reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">States must submit the information at least four times per year and whenever federal immigration authorities request it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCongress wrote this requirement plainly,\u201d said Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser, who leads the Office of Legal Counsel. \u201cWhen a state chooses to participate in TANF, it accepts the obligation to report illegal aliens in the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The new interpretation reverses a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/file\/146516\/dl\">1998 OLC opinion<\/a> issued during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-clinton\/\">Clinton administration<\/a>. That guidance limited the mandate to agencies directly administering TANF or SSI.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All 50 states, Washington, D.C., and several U.S. territories currently participate in TANF and SSI, according to the DOJ. Federal TANF grants exceed $16.4 billion annually, placing a significant pool of federal money at stake as agencies develop new compliance procedures.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opinion also takes a broader view of when a state \u201cknows\u201d that someone is in the country unlawfully. A final deportation order is not always necessary. Knowledge could arise when DHS informs an agency, a person admits to entering unlawfully without another legal basis to remain, or government records show that lawful status has expired.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">States cannot avoid acquiring knowledge by deliberately refusing to consider readily available information, the opinion said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4708277\/asylum-denial-rates-all-time-high-trump\/\">ASYLUM DENIAL RATES REACH ALL-TIME HIGH UNDER TRUMP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a> did not outline a complete enforcement process, though further administrative steps are likely to establish how compliance will be measured.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">States will not face retroactive penalties for following the previous guidance, but future noncompliance could jeopardize federal funding for covered welfare programs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>States must report illegal immigrants to federal authorities to keep welfare funds<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2653642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26146765672759.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7076,3813,51397],"class_list":["post-2653641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-doj","tag-immigration","tag-welfare-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26146765672759.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2653641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2653641"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2653641\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2653644,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2653641\/revisions\/2653644"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2653642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2653641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2653641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2653641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}