SSI

For SSI, immigrants who resided in the United States as of August 22, 1996 are still eligible for benefits, either if they are already receiving them or if they become disabled. Immigrants residing in the United States as of August 22, 1996 who turn 65 but are not disabled are not eligible for benefits. Originally, the PRWORA cut off SSI benefits for all legal immigrants, but they were restored for the above categories by the 1998 budget reconciliation law.

As with TANF, immigrants who arrive in the United States after August 22, 1996 are barred from all SSI benefits for a term of five years. After the five-year bar, immigrants may qualify for SSI.