Qualified Alien in the United States

Qualified Alien and Refugees

A definition of Qualified Alien, in the context of refugee resettlement and non-emergency repatriation, may be provided here: This term was created under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) to define those non-citizens who are eligible to receive certain Federal public benefits such as Medicaid. Qualified aliens are potentially eligible for all Medicaid programs just like U.S. citizens. Generally, there are two main categories of qualified aliens: (1) Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) admitted for permanent residence under the INA; and, (2) Aliens Admitted Under a Specific Political Status. Eligibility is based on the date admitted and USCIS documentation of alien status. A child(ren) who arrives with a parent(s) carries the same alien status as the parent(s).

Resources

See Also

• Refugee Resettlement
• Non-Emergency Repatriation