The Trainer — July 2015
VERIFYING APPLICANTS WHO CLAIM ELIGIBLE IMMIGRATION STATUS
In this month’s feature, we discussed HUD’s noncitizen rule, which says that only households made up entirely of U.S. citizens and/or certain eligible noncitizens (such as a permanent resident alien) can benefit from federal rental assistance. To ensure that an ineligible noncitizen doesn’t get assistance, HUD requires you to verify the immigration status of most applicants who declare that they’re eligible noncitizens.
QUIZ
QUESTION #1
If an applicant declares that she’s an eligible noncitizen, you must ask her to submit an original immigration document and verify her status using which system?
a. iREMS.
b. SAVE.
c. TRACS.
QUESTION #2
You don’t have to verify the immigration status of applicants who declared that they’re eligible noncitizens, if they’re over 62 years old. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
QUESTION #3
An applicant who declared that he’s an eligible noncitizen asks you to give him more time to locate and submit his immigration document. How many extra days does HUD say you can give him?
a. 30 days.
b. 45 days.
c. 60 days.
QUESTION #4
You can use the SAVE system to check if an applicant who declared he’s a U.S. citizen really is one. True or false?
a. True.
b. False.
ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS
QUESTION #1
Correct answer: b
Once you have an immigration document, use the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system to verify the applicant’s immigration status. To do this, sites typically log on to the SAVE system and input information from the applicant’s immigration document—such as the applicant’s name, date of birth, and alien registration number (that is, a unique seven-, eight-, or nine-digit number preceded by the letter “A” that refers to the noncitizen applicant’s file at DHS). For information about the SAVE system, visit www.uscis.gov/save.
QUESTION #2
Correct answer: a
True. But you must verify that these applicants are at least 62 years old [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-12(B)(3) and exh. 3-5].
QUESTION #3
Correct answer: a
You can give him no more than 30 days from the deadline you originally gave him to submit the document [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-12(J)(2)]. But you can do this only if the applicant certifies that the immigration document is temporarily unavailable and that he needs more time to locate and submit it to you [Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-12(J)(2)].
QUESTION #4
Correct answer: b
False. You shouldn’t use the SAVE system to check if an applicant who declared he’s a U.S. citizen really is one. Use it only to verify the immigration status of persons claiming eligible immigration status [HUD Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-12(L)(1)(a)]. You can, however, establish a policy of requiring applicants who declare that they’re U.S. citizens to provide additional proof of citizenship [HUD Handbook 4350.3, par. 3-12(B)(3)]. If you do establish such a policy, be sure to apply it consistently to all applicants, regardless of race, religion, national origin, disability, familial status, and gender. For example, don’t ask for proof of U.S. citizenship only from applicants who appear Middle Eastern. If you do, you could be accused of discriminating.