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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-28-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>1615-AA05</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200904</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>1615</CODE>
            <NAME>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>USCIS</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>1600</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Homeland Security</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>DHS</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Definition of the Term &quot;Lawfully Present&quot; for Purposes of Eligibility for Public Benefits</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[Section 401(a) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) provides that, with limited exceptions, only qualified aliens, as defined under section 431, may receive certain Federal public benefits. Section 401(b)(2) provides an exception that allows aliens who are "lawfully present in the United States" to receive Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act. PRWORA, and other laws, use the term "lawfully present" in other benefit-related contexts as well. 

The Department of Justice published an interim final rule on September 6, 1996, which amended then-Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations to define the term "an alien who is lawfully present in the United States" so that the Social Security Administration may determine which aliens are eligible for benefits under title II of the Social Security Act.  DHS now plans to issue a final rule to complete the rulemaking action.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Long-Term Actions</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>8 CFR 103</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>5 USC 552</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>31 USC 9701</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>5 USC 552a</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1101</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1103</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1201</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1252 note</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1252B</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1304</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>8 USC 1356</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>09/06/1996</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>61 FR 47039</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>11/05/1996</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>To Be Determined</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <ADDITIONAL_INFO>CIS No. 1792-96

Transferred from RIN 1115-AE51</ADDITIONAL_INFO>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>State</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Mark</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Phillips</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Residence and Naturalization Division Chief</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>1615</CODE>
                    <NAME>U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>USCIS</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>240 721-3000</PHONE>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Policy and Strategy, 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Suite 4S190,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Camp Springs</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20588-0009</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
