MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR BLOCKS BENEFITS FOR IMMIGRANTS GRANTED DEFERRED ACTION

Gov. Phil Bryant (R-MS) has ordered state agencies to prevent undocumented immigrants who benefit from President Obama’s deferred action directive from receiving any state public benefits. He said his executive order stopping the state from granting benefits to DREAM Act-eligible youth who qualify for the federal policy follows current state law. Mississippi already bans state agencies from providing benefits like unemployment payments or food stamps to people who are not U.S. citizens or legal residents. Republican governors in Arizona and Nebraska issued similar orders after the deferred action policy went into effect August 15.