Miller Says He Won’t Cut Aid to Legal Immigrants

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

"I personally do not agree with some of the parts of the federal welfare bill that deals with legal immigrants," Gov. Bob Miller said.

"With the exception of Native Americans, all of us have a relative from a different country," he added Tuesday. "Excluding immigrants is not what our society is about. We are making the word 'immigrant' a bad word when what we ought to be focusing on is illegal immigration."

About 1,300 families with one or more legal immigrants get some form of welfare in Nevada, according to state Welfare Administrator Myla Florence.

The cash grant assistance payments to the immigrants, not including Medicaid, could total at most about $777,000, Florence said, adding that the figure probably would be lower because some of the people fall under categories exempted from the federal law, such as refugees from Cuba or Haiti or U.S. military veterans.

The state has about $3.9 million budgeted for welfare this fiscal year that hasn't been used because the welfare rolls dropped dramatically, Florence said.

Miller said Nevada's welfare reform plan, enacted in 1995, is aimed at moving people from welfare to jobs, the same as the federal law signed by President Clinton in August.

He credits the state plan for a 20 percent drop in Nevada's welfare caseload and said there's no reason why legal immigrants shouldn't be able to participate in the program because the same time limits would apply.

The federal bill requires able-bodied adults to work after two years on welfare, and limits lifetime welfare assistance to five years.

Miller said his policy on legal immigrants isn't likely to change while he's in office - although some change could come from the federal government or the 1997 Legislature.

"There is every indication that Congress will revisit this legal alien issue after the election," Florence added.

For now, payments under the Aid to Dependent Children Program won't be reduced or cut off. Those on ADC also will continue to receive Medicaid. So will the 2,400 to 3,400 aged, blind and disabled legal aliens receiving Supplemental Security Income.

But the Social Security Administration will be reviewing the status of these individuals and they could be eliminated from Medicaid between now and Aug. 22.

Florence said these individuals might qualify for Medicaid through some other program if their status isn't renewed by the Social Security Administration.

Food stamps will also be extended for about 4,080 individuals, at least through April and as long as until August.

Florence said the welfare reform act on food stamps was modified by the subsequent passage of the budget act, which allowed for a longer period for legal aliens.