{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-56-56-230.73","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-230.73","heading":"Qualified aliens","body":"A. As used in this section:\n\n1. \"Legal immigrant\" means an individual not born in the United\n\nStates and not a citizen of the United States whose entrance into\n\nthe United States has been approved by the Immigration and\n\nNaturalization Service; and\n\n2. \"Qualified alien\" shall have the same meaning as such term\n\nis defined by Section 431(b) of the federal Personal Responsibility\n\nand Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, P.L. 104-193, as\n\namended.\n\nB. 1. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that passage\n\nof the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity\n\nReconciliation Act of 1996, P.L. 104-193, requires the states to\n\nmake certain decisions concerning legal immigrants and their\n\neligibility for certain types of public assistance.\n\n2. The goal of this section is to recognize that foreign-born\n\nlegal residents of the State of Oklahoma contribute to our society\n\nby working in our communities, supporting local businesses, and\n\npaying taxes and should be eligible to receive certain types of\n\npublic assistance under certain conditions. Moreover, the state\n\ngoal is to provide the types of assistance that will enhance the\n\nstate's ability to receive federal financial participation, thereby\n\nreducing the ultimate burden on the state and local government for\n\nemergency health and welfare needs.\n\n3. This section is also intended to encourage and support\n\nefforts to help foreign-born legal residents of the State of\n\nOklahoma to become citizens of the United States.\n\nC. 1. A qualified alien who entered the United States before\n\nAugust 22, 1996, shall be eligible to receive benefits under a state\n\nprogram funded by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block\n\nGrant Funds pursuant to Part A of Title IV of the federal Social\n\nSecurity Act.\n\n2. A qualified alien who entered the United States on or after\n\nAugust 22, 1996, shall be barred from receiving the benefits\n\ndescribed in paragraph 1 of this subsection for a period of five (5)\n\nyears after the date of entry into the United States, unless such\n\nalien meets the exceptions set forth in the federal Personal\n\nResponsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, P.L.\n\n104-193, as amended. After five (5) years, the qualified alien\n\nshall be eligible for benefits pursuant to the Statewide Temporary\n\nAssistance Responsibility System (STARS), but shall have sponsor\n\nincome deemed to the individual or family pursuant to rules\n\npromulgated by the Commission for Human Services.\n\nD. 1. A qualified alien who entered the United States before\n\nAugust 22, 1996, shall be eligible to receive benefits under the Old\n\nAge Pension, the Aid to the Needy Disabled, and the Aid to the Blind\n\nprograms if such qualified alien meets the eligibility criteria for\n\nsuch programs, other than citizen status.\n\n2. A qualified alien who entered the United States on or after\n\nAugust 22, 1996, shall be barred from receiving benefits under the\n\nprograms described in paragraph 1 of this subsection for a period of\n\nfive (5) years after the date of entry into the United States,\n\nunless the alien meets the exceptions set forth in the federal\n\nPersonal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of\n\n1996, P.L. 104-193, as amended. After five (5) years, the qualified\n\nalien shall be eligible for benefits pursuant to such programs but\n\nshall have sponsor income deemed to the person or family pursuant to\n\nrules promulgated by the Commission for Human Services.\n\nE. The Commission for Human Services shall encourage a\n\nqualified alien who is eligible to submit an application for\n\ncitizenship to submit such an application.\n\nF. 1. The Commission shall promulgate rules for the delivery\n\nof emergency assistance to a person who:\n\na. is a legal immigrant and a resident of the State of\n\nOklahoma,\n\nb. is not a citizen of the United States, and\n\nc. meets the eligibility requirements for assistance\n\npursuant to the Statewide Temporary Assistance\nligible to submit an application for\n\ncitizenship to submit such an application.\n\nF. 1. The Commission shall promulgate rules for the delivery\n\nof emergency assistance to a person who:\n\na. is a legal immigrant and a resident of the State of\n\nOklahoma,\n\nb. is not a citizen of the United States, and\n\nc. meets the eligibility requirements for assistance\n\npursuant to the Statewide Temporary Assistance\n\nResponsibility System (STARS) program other than\n\ncitizen status and is not receiving any other public\n\nassistance as specified by the Commission.\n\n2. Such emergency assistance may include, but need not be\n\nlimited to, the following forms of assistance:\n\na. housing,\n\nb. food,\n\nc. short-term cash assistance, and\n\nd. clothing and social services for children.\n\nG. 1. Sponsors shall be expected to meet their financial\n\ncommitments to the immigrants whom they sponsor and for whom they\n\nsign affidavits of support.\n\n2. The Commission shall also promulgate rules consistent with\n\nthis section and federal law to enforce sponsor commitments for\n\nnoncitizen applicants for or recipients of public assistance or\n\nmedical assistance.\n\nH. In the event that after passage of this act federal law\n\nauthorizes extended benefits to aliens, the provision of this\n\nsection shall be modified and made consistent with the provisions of\n\nfederal law.","path":["OK Code","Title 56"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os56.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"06908b4f824ff79fa471f35389b2a9b2558bfa3a3a18f9d8faf66c4660672d15","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-56-56-230.72","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-56-56-230.75"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}