Sedgwick County formally requests state block illegal aliens from WIC
OCTOBER 13, 2015
Sedgwick County formally requests state block illegal immigrants from WIC
http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-..._640/wicletter
Chairman Richard Ranzau, on behalf of the majority of Sedgwick County commissioners, wrote a letter to Susan Mosier, the secretary for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which manages how WIC money flows across the state. The Wichita Eagle
BY DANIEL SALAZAR
The Wichita Eagle
Sedgwick County wants Kansas to block undocumented or illegal immigrants from receiving benefits under the federal nutrition program Woman, Infants and Children (WIC).
Chairman Richard Ranzau, on behalf of the majority of Sedgwick County commissioners, wrote a letter to Susan Mosier, the secretary for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which manages how WIC money flows across the state.
The federal Woman, Infants and Children program issues checks to low-income families for foods like milk, eggs, cereal, cheese and baby formula. It also provides nutritional and breastfeeding education.
The county commissioners are requesting that the state “take any and all necessary actions to ensure that participation in the WIC program is limited to ‘United States citizens, nationals and qualified aliens,’” according to the letter sent Oct. 8.
That was a day after three county commissioners, Ranzau along with commissioners Karl Peterjohn and Jim Howell, expressed interest in asking the state to review its eligibility requirements. The county voted to accept a $1.94 million WIC grant last Wednesday.
The majority of commissioners are “very concerned that the WIC program provides benefits to persons who are not citizens,” Ranzau wrote.
But commissioners Dave Unruh and Tim Norton were against asking Topeka to change its rules. Unruh also sent a letter to Mosier about Ranzau’s request.
Unruh wrote that the request came from a consensus of commissioners, not from an official vote. He also wrote the county commissioners are acting against their responsibilities as Sedgwick County’s board of health.
“It is also my opinion that this 3-2 consensus is not supported by our general constituency,” Unruh wrote.
The state health department has income, residency and identity requirements for participating in the program, but not for immigration or citizenship status.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment would have to submit a plan to change its eligibility requirements, says Cassie Sparks, a department spokesperson. It would apply to all 105 counties.
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture would have to approve the new statewide policy as well,” Sparks said.
Reach Daniel Salazar at 316-269-6791 or dsalazar@wichitaeagle.com. Follow him on Twitter: @imdanielsalazar.
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