Sponsors (5)
The bill tightens TANF eligibility for certain noncitizens to reduce program outlays and clarify administration, but does so at the cost of removing cash assistance from immigrant families and children and shifting needs and administrative burdens onto local services and governments.
State governments: Receive clearer, codified TANF eligibility rules for noncitizens, which can make program administration and determination more consistent.
Low-income U.S. taxpayers: Could see reduced TANF outlays if fewer noncitizen households qualify, modestly lowering public spending on cash assistance.
Children in mixed‑status households: May lose access to TANF cash support if their parents are declared ineligible, increasing risk of child poverty and hardship.
Immigrants who are qualified aliens: Will lose TANF cash assistance under the new exclusion, reducing income and economic stability for many low‑income immigrant families.
Local governments and nonprofits: May face increased demand for emergency assistance, food banks, and other services as displaced TANF recipients seek help, shifting costs locally.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 12, 2026 by W. Greg Steube · Last progress March 12, 2026
Amends federal TANF law to bar most "qualified aliens" from receiving assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program, while preserving eligibility for a small set of immigration categories. The change repeals an existing provision and adds a new rule that generally disqualifies qualified aliens from TANF, with limited exceptions for a few specified groups named in the immigration statute.