Additional Coverage:
- New bill could expose information of SNAP applicants to ICE — key details revealed (marketrealist.com)
New Oklahoma Bill Could Link Food Assistance Applications to ICE Referrals
Oklahoma City, OK – A new legislative proposal in Oklahoma aims to require the state’s Department of Human Services (OKDHS) to verify the immigration status of applicants for public assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). House Bill 4422, introduced by Republican House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, passed a House committee seven to one on Wednesday, drawing immediate criticism from the Oklahoma ACLU.
Under the provisions of HB 4422, the OKDHS would utilize the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, managed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to confirm applicants’ immigration status.
If the system identifies an applicant as unlawfully present in the U.S., the OKDHS would then be mandated to inform U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Representative Hilbert, the bill’s author, stated his intent is to “improve the verification system of our welfare system, make sure that those recipients of these dollars are in fact American citizens.” He added, “Welfare recipients should be American citizens, I don’t think that is a controversial thing.” The bill advanced through the House Children, Youth and Family Services Committee without debate or questions and has since been referred to the Oklahoma House Health and Human Services Oversight Committee.
The legislation has sparked significant concern, particularly given SNAP’s role in providing food assistance to low-income households. In 2024, approximately 686,800 Oklahomans, or 17% of the state’s population, relied on SNAP benefits. Critics argue that the bill could deny crucial benefits to thousands, including U.S. citizen children in mixed-status households.
Cindy Nguyen, Policy Director for the Oklahoma ACLU, expressed strong opposition, telling local news station Fox 25, “We firmly believe that children should not be used as pawns to score political points.” Nguyen highlighted that undocumented Oklahomans are already ineligible for state benefits.
She further elaborated that this bill could uniquely impact “child-only” benefit applications where U.S.-born children would lose access to benefits because their parents, fearing ICE notification, might be too afraid to enroll or re-enroll. The bill’s scope extends to requiring verification of the adult submitting a “child-only” application, with ICE notification if that adult is found to be unlawfully present.
The introduction of this bill also comes amidst heightened scrutiny of ICE operations, following a recent incident in Minneapolis where two U.S. citizens were shot by federal immigration agents.
While current federal regulations allow non-U.S. citizens to qualify for SNAP under specific immigration categories and income requirements, U.S. citizen children within mixed-status households are generally eligible. The ACLU contends that HB 4422, in its current form, significantly alters the original intent and will closely monitor its progression through the legislative sessions.