HR7213-119

What This Bill Does

The Safeguarding Benefits for Americans Act of 2026 creates a broad eligibility restriction for federal assistance benefits furnished to an individual, household, family, or similar unit. An applicant or current recipient must file a written declaration under penalty of perjury that the person is a citizen or national of the United States. The person must also provide documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship or nationality, a photographic identity document, name and Social Security account number information, and any other identifying information required for federal verification. Program administrators must submit information to the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security so those agencies can confirm whether the number, identity data, and citizenship or nationality status match federal records. The bill therefore shifts benefit access from program-specific eligibility rules to a cross-program citizenship attestation and verification gate.

Who Benefits and How

U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals applying for federal assistance benefit from a statutory rule that reserves covered federal assistance for verified citizens or nationals. Federal and State program-integrity officials benefit from documentary, photo-ID, SSA, and DHS verification tools that can identify ineligible applicants or recipients before benefits continue. Taxpayers and lawmakers concerned about noncitizen benefit access benefit from a tighter eligibility screen.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Noncitizen applicants, recipients who cannot document citizenship or nationality quickly, households with mixed immigration status, State benefit agencies, federal assistance providers, Social Security Administration verification staff, and Department of Homeland Security verification staff face new paperwork, database matching, nonconfirmation, appeal, and benefit-interruption burdens. Program administrators must collect declarations, photo identification, citizenship evidence, Social Security data, and DHS confirmation before granting or continuing covered benefits.

Key Provisions

• Requires verified U.S. citizenship or nationality for covered federal assistance benefits.
• Requires written attestation under penalty of perjury from applicants and current recipients.
• Requires documentary evidence of citizenship or nationality plus photographic identity documents.
• Requires Social Security Administration confirmation of name, number, and citizenship or nationality status.
• Requires Department of Homeland Security confirmation of citizenship or nationality status when identifying information is submitted.
• Applies the verification gate across assistance furnished to individuals, households, families, and similar units.