The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRAIRA) have substantially altered an immigrant’s ability to receive public benefits. These laws eliminated eligibility for most immigrants for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and federal food stamps and gave states the discretion to determine whether immigrants can qualify for federal, state, and local public benefit programs. Subsequent laws, however, have restored access to SSI and food stamps for very limited numbers of immigrants.