Payam Javan: The Trump administration has announced plans to cut off access to certain federal benefits for undocumented immigrants in an effort to save billions of dollars in public spending. The decision, backed by several federal agencies including the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Agriculture, will end access to a range of healthcare, education, nutrition, and other social services.

Under the new policy, undocumented immigrants will no longer be eligible for programs such as Head Start, the federally funded preschool initiative, or for vocational and adult education courses. Additionally, various community-based services — including public health clinics, mental health programs, and addiction treatment — have been reclassified as “federal public benefits” and will now fall under the new restrictions.

HHS officials stated that these changes overturn the Clinton-era interpretation of the 1996 “Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the move a step toward enforcing the law and safeguarding taxpayer resources. He emphasized that the goal is to restore integrity and prioritize legal citizens’ access to public services.