TANF-ACF-IM-1998-05 (Interpretation of Federal Public Benefit)

This Office of Family Assistance information memoranda provides guidance regarding the definition of federal public benefits. In 1998, the Department of Health and Human Services identified 31 programs that provide federal public benefits. Albeit a few exceptions, these programs, including TANF, are required to verify immigration and citizenship status of applicants in order to ensure that only qualified aliens receive the programs' benefits and services.