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The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 - which overhauled the nation’s welfare system – places restrictions that deny immigrants the ability to receive public benefits. Last week, the Trump administration announced that it is utilizing the authority of PRWORA to prohibit immigrant families from accessing services it says are similar to welfare, including federally funded early childhood and career and technical education.

The notices from HHS and ED take aim at Head Start, the preschool program for children from families living in poverty, and federally funded dual enrollment and early college programs that allow high school students to earn college credit. There is an expectation that this is an attempt to move towards a challenge to Plyler v. Doe because the Trump Administration could issue guidance saying that LEAs that run Head Start programs or offer early college programs must verify documentation status of students participating in the program. 

While effective immediately, no official guidance or additional information for providers has been released. Âܲ·AVÊÓƵwill continue to update this blog as more information becomes available.

– impacting Head Start and 11 other programs – is open for public comment for 30 days and will close on August 13.