SNAP and Medicaid benefits; confirm status as eligible alien under federal law to be eligible for.

SB 2198 would require Mississippi to deny SNAP and Medicaid benefits to non-citizens unless they meet specific federal definitions of "eligible alien" and "qualified alien" under 8 U.S.C. § 1641(b). It mandates that state agencies verify citizenship or immigration status during enrollment and eligibility reviews using federal systems like SAVE, and requires hospitals accepting Medicaid to collect and report patient immigration status during registration. The bill also obligates agencies to submit information about undocumented individuals or those unable to verify status to federal authorities, and to report quarterly hospital data on patient status to state officials. This would directly affect non-citizen residents applying for food assistance or healthcare coverage in Mississippi. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and did not become law.