§ 1641. Definitions

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(a)In general Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the terms used in this chapter have the same meaning given such terms in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101(a)].

(b)Qualified alien For purposes of this chapter, the term “qualified alien” means an alien who, at the time the alien applies for, receives, or attempts to receive a Federal public benefit, is—

(1)an alien who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.],

(2)an alien who is granted asylum under section 208 of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1158],

(3)a refugee who is admitted to the United States under section 207 of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1157],

(4)an alien who is paroled into the United States under section 212(d)(5) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)] for a period of at least 1 year,

(5)an alien whose deportation is being withheld under section 243(h) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1253] (as in effect immediately before the effective date of section 307 of division C of Public Law 104–208) or section 241(b)(3) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1231(b)(3)] (as amended by section 305(a) of division C of Public Law 104–208),

(6)an alien who is granted conditional entry pursuant to section 203(a)(7) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1153(a)(7)] as in effect prior to April 1, 1980,

(7)an alien who is a Cuban and Haitian entrant (as defined in section 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980), or

(8)an individual who lawfully resides in the United States in accordance with a Compact of Free Association referred to in section 1612(b)(2)(G) of this title.

(c)Treatment of certain battered aliens as qualified aliens For purposes of this chapter, the term “qualified alien” includes—

(1)an alien who—

(A)has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the United States by a spouse or a parent, or by a member of the spouse or parent’s family residing in the same household as the alien and the spouse or parent consented to, or acquiesced in, such battery or cruelty, but only if (in the opinion of the agency providing such benefits) there is a substantial connection between such battery or cruelty and the need for the benefits to be provided; and

(B)has been approved or has a petition pending which sets forth a prima facie case for—

(i)status as a spouse or a child of a United States citizen pursuant to clause (ii), (iii), or

(iv)of section 204(a)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(A)(ii), (iii), (iv)],

(ii)classification pursuant to clause

(ii)or

(iii)of section 204(a)(1)(B) of the Act [8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(B)(ii), (iii)],

(iii)suspension of deportation under section 244(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1254(a)(3)] (as in effect before the title III–A effective date in section 309 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996).1

(iv)status as a spouse or child of a United States citizen pursuant to clause

(i)of section 204(a)(1)(A) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(A)(i)], or classification pursuant to clause

(i)of section 204(a)(1)(B) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)(B)(i)]; 2

(v)cancellation of removal pursuant to section 240A(b)(2) of such Act [8 U.S.C. 1229b(b)(2)];

(2)an alien—

(A)whose child has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the United States by a spouse or a parent of the alien (without the active participation of the alien in the battery or cruelty), or by a member of the spouse or parent’s family residing in the same household as the alien and the spouse or parent consented or acquiesced to such battery or cruelty, and the alien did not actively participate in such battery or cruelty, but only if (in the opinion of the agency providing such benefits) there is a substantial connection between such battery or cruelty and the need for the benefits to be provided; and

(B)who meets the requirement of subparagraph

(B)of paragraph (1);

(3)an alien child who—

(A)resides in the same household as a parent who has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the United States by that parent’s spouse or by a member of the spouse’s family residing in the same household as the parent and the spouse consented or acquiesced to such battery or cruelty, but only if (in the opinion of the agency providing such benefits) there is a substantial connection between such battery or cruelty and the need for the benefits to be provided; and

(B)who meets the requirement of subparagraph

(B)of paragraph (1); or

(4)an alien who has been granted nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(T) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(T)) or who has a pending application that sets forth a prima facie case for eligibility for such nonimmigrant status.

This subsection shall not apply to an alien during any period in which the individual responsible for such battery or cruelty resides in the same household or family eligibility unit as the individual subjected to such battery or cruelty.

After consultation with the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development, the Commissioner of Social Security, and with the heads of such Federal agencies administering benefits as the Attorney General considers appropriate, the Attorney General shall issue guidance (in the Attorney General’s sole and unreviewable discretion) for purposes of this subsection and section 1631(f) of this title, concerning the meaning of the terms “battery” and “extreme cruelty”, and the standards and methods to be used for determining whether a substantial connection exists between battery or cruelty suffered and an individual’s need for benefits under a specific Federal, State, or local program.

(Pub. L. 104–193, title IV, § 431, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2274; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 308(g)(8)(E), title V, § 501, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–624, 3009–670; Pub. L. 105–33, title V, §§ 5302(c)(3), 5562, 5571(a)–(c), 5581(b)(6), (7), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 599, 638, 640, 643; Pub. L. 106–386, div. B, title V, § 1508, Oct. 28, 2000, 114 Stat. 1530; Pub. L. 110–457, title II, § 211(a), Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5063; Pub. L. 116–260, div. CC, title II, § 208(c), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2985; Pub. L. 118–42, div. G, title II, § 209(f)(3), Mar. 9, 2024, 138 Stat. 445.)

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