HB3913, titled the “Putting American Students First Act,” would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to impose new citizenship, immigration, and residency eligibility rules for participation in Federal TRIO programs. TRIO programs are federally funded higher education access and support programs, and the bill would limit eligibility to U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, certain noncitizens with evidence of intent to become permanent residents, citizens and lawful residents of the Freely Associated States, and certain CNMI residents.
The bill also states that these eligibility requirements could not be waived under specified appropriations authorities or other laws related to Performance Partnership Pilots. In addition to creating the new eligibility standard, the bill makes conforming amendments throughout the Higher Education Act to update cross-references tied to the TRIO eligibility section.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would narrow who may receive services under Federal TRIO programs by adding immigration-status and residency screening requirements to the Higher Education Act. It would affect colleges, universities, and TRIO grantees that administer outreach and support services for low-income, first-generation, and disabled students, and would likely require changes to intake, verification, and compliance procedures. The bill would also amend several related statutory cross-references in the Higher Education Act to align with the new eligibility subsection.
Sentiment
There is little recorded committee or floor discussion in the provided materials, and no votes are listed. Based on the bill text and title, the measure appears to be framed by its sponsors as a way to prioritize U.S. students and tighten access to federally supported educational assistance. Because no transcript or vote history is available, broader legislative sentiment cannot be measured from the provided record, but the introduction suggests support from the sponsors and a policy emphasis on restricting eligibility.
Contention
The central point of contention is the bill’s exclusion of many noncitizen students from TRIO participation, including whether federal student-support programs should be limited by immigration status rather than need or educational disadvantage. Supporters are likely to argue that the bill ensures federal benefits are directed to citizens and certain lawful residents, while opponents would likely view it as reducing access for vulnerable students and adding administrative burdens on institutions. The prohibition on waivers may also be controversial because it removes flexibility for agencies to make exceptions.
America First ActThis bill limits the eligibility of certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) for various federal benefits and grants, makes permanent the child tax credit increase, and requires individuals to provide evidence of satisfactory immigration status prior to receiving specified benefits.The bill prohibits asylees, parolees, and individuals withheld from removal from receiving certain federal benefits, including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), and Supplemental Security Income. The bill further restricts on the basis of immigration status benefits under federal health programs such as Medicare, emergency disaster relief, housing assistance, food assistance, early childhood assistance, student aid, and Community Development Block Grants.The bill also makes permanent the increase in the child tax credit set to expire at the end of 2025. In addition, this tax credit and the earned income tax credit are not available to asylees, parolees, individuals granted temporary protected status, individuals withheld from removal, individuals granted deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) status, and non-U.S. nationals with employment-based immigrant visas.Federal aid is reduced for elementary and secondary education by 50% annually to jurisdictions that do not assist federal immigration enforcement actions (deemed sanctuary jurisdictions under the bill).The bill also removes statutory exemptions for Haitian entrants that allows such entrants to receive various aid.Certain benefits are prohibited, including Medicaid and SNAP, until an applicant’s satisfactory immigration status is proved.The bill prohibits tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organizations from using federal funds to support certain non-U.S. nationals.