HHS Restricts Immigrants Without Legal Status From Head Start Program

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a significant policy change that will restrict immigrants without legal status from enrolling in the Head Start preschool program. This federally funded initiative, established six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, provides early childhood education, developmental therapy, and child care for families in poverty or experiencing homelessness. The move is part of a broader effort by the administration to limit access to federal benefits for immigrants who lack legal status.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized that the changes are designed to protect American citizens' interests and restore integrity to federal social programs. "For too long, the government has diverted hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration," Kennedy stated. "Today’s action changes that — it restores integrity to federal social programs, enforces the rule of law, and protects vital resources for the American people."

The decision to reclassify community-level programs like Head Start as federal public benefits means that immigrants without legal status will be excluded from accessing them. This policy shift is anticipated to generate fear and confusion among families seeking to enroll their children in the program. Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association, criticized the decision, asserting that it undermines the country's commitment to children and disregards decades of evidence that Head Start is essential for the collective future.

The changes are part of a multi-agency announcement that rescinds an interpretation of federal law dating back to the Clinton administration. This interpretation had allowed immigrants without legal status to access certain programs. The Education Department, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Labor have also announced similar changes affecting a range of workforce development and adult education programs.

The impact of these changes will be substantial for community health centers, which immigrants rely on for a variety of health services. Shelby Gonzales, vice president of immigration policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, noted that people depend on these services for cancer treatment and ongoing maintenance of various health needs. Additionally, students without legal status will no longer be eligible to participate in postsecondary career and technical education programs or adult education programs.

Education advocates have expressed concern that the decision will harm young people who have grown up in the country. EdTrust Vice President Augustus Mays stated that the intention appears to be creating fear among immigrant communities. "Policies like this don’t exist in a vacuum," Mays said. "They are rooted in a political agenda that scapegoats immigrants and uses fear to strip rights and resources from the most vulnerable among us."

The Head Start program, initiated as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, operates in all 50 states and has been a critical resource for families in need. The recent policy changes are likely to have far-reaching implications for immigrant families and the communities that support them. The administration's move to restrict access to federal benefits for immigrants without legal status is part of a broader effort to enforce immigration laws and protect American citizens' interests. However, critics argue that these changes will create fear and confusion among families and undermine the country's commitment to providing essential services to children in need.