Generally, qualified aliens are non-citizens who have been permitted to reside permanently in the United States. They include legal permanent residents (LPRs), refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, and a few other categories. Qualified immigrants may be eligible for federal and state benefit programs that aim to help families with limited income and resources. Not qualified aliens (mostly illegal and temporary immigrants), by contrast, are ineligible for all except emergency benefits, a policy that was largely in place even before the 1996 reforms.
The second factor is date of entry into the United States. Specifically, qualified immigrants who entered after August 22, 1996 are barred from SSI and food stamps until they become citizens and from TANF, Medicaid, and SCHIP for five years after entry.