The decision comes after DHS announced it would announce a comprehensive optimization of its immigration database to examine non-citizen status across the country.
The secretary reminded all states that failing to fulfill their existing legal obligations would result in loss of federal funds through the Title III UI Management Grant.
The warning is based on the president’s memorandum of understanding “threatening illegal foreigners from obtaining Social Security Act benefits.”
This is “an important tool” to ensure that illegal immigrants do not access unemployment benefits in our country,” the Labor Secretary said.
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“As a result of this change, I have instructed the Employment and Training Agency (ETA) to send letters to all state unemployment insurance managers urging them to immediately begin using any initial and continuing claims filed by individuals indicating they are not US citizens,” he said.
The Save database is intended to support federal, state, local, and tribal levels of agencies and checks the status and citizenship of individual immigration before issuing benefits.
The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts are full of challenges.
State and local governments with sanctuary policies block or restrict local officials from enforcing federal laws such as those relating to immigration.
The lawsuit was filed by more than a dozen cities affected by the cancellation of federal funds in “sanctuary” cities.
In his order, the judge banned the government from further funding cuts, saying that the administration’s attempts constitute a violation of the separation of constitutional principles of authority.
On April 24, the Department of Agriculture asked the state to take action on this effect.
The state was asked to verify the identities of those applying for SNAP, collect social security numbers, and verify their legal status in the United States.
