Blumenthal says home heating help does not apply to illegal immigrants

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sept 25, 2007

HARTFORD -- Connecticut's attorney general says in a new ruling that federal law prevents state and community action agencies from knowingly providing illegal immigrants with benefits such as home heating assistance.

But federal law says states can't require community action agencies to verify whether applicants are citizens.

The agencies can ask for someone's Social Security number to prevent fraud. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says the state Department of Social Services will now have to determine whether Social Security numbers should be requested.

DSS asked Blumenthal for the ruling after someone filed a whistleblower complaint about illegal immigrants receiving benefits.

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