Harris County bars ‘undocumented’ residents from guaranteed income pilot

Undocumented immigrants living in Houston will not be eligible to apply for the guaranteed income program, which was set to launch earlier this week but was postponed. Under the "Uplift Harris" program, families living in poverty could see monthly checks of $500 for a year and a half as part of a new county initiative.

Unfortunately, we won't be able to [include undocumented immigrants] because this program is with federal funds," Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said at Tuesday's commissioner's court meeting. "We won't be able to offer this program to the undocumented population. If we support the economy more broadly, that supports all of us versus leaving people out artificially. This seems to be the best kind of initiative to tackle inequality to tackle poverty, so if it were for me, I want to make sure everybody is included," Hidalgo said Tuesday.