Alien Verification for Entitlements

This inspection resulted from the continuing interest of the Office of Inspector General in encouraging automated front-end eligibility verification for entitlement programs. The Inspector General became concerned that few State human services agencies, in their claims processing for this Department's programs, were availing themselves of an automated alien verification system, known as SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement), developed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and made available in the early 1980's. The inspection sought to (1) obtain States' assessment of the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of SAVE; (2) identify obstacles to the expanded use of SAVE; and (3) provide feedback to the Department, INS and other departments administering programs to which SAVE could be applied as a voluntary verification system. A check of alien status (whether done manually or by automated techniques) is standard practice in the Aid to Families With Dependent Children, Food Stamps, Medicaid and Unemployment Insurance programs. Eligibility requirements for these programs limit eligibility to aliens who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence or classified as permanently residing under color of law (PRUCOL). The recently enacted Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) includes a provision requiring the use of SAVE by State agencies administering six programs including those covered by this inspection. Under certain circumstances, the law permits State agencies to obtain a waiver allowing them to use an alternative system.