Ex-Worker: Kan. Policies Help Illegal Immigrants

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A former social services case worker told Kansas legislators Thursday that state policies determining who receives benefits enable fraud and favor illegal immigrants over legal residents as she testified in support of a bill addressing that and other immigration issues.

Lana Reed, who worked for the state Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services offices in Overland Park from July 2008 to October 2010, said during a House Judiciary Committee hearing that agency employees were required to ignore immigrants' use of fraudulent documents to obtain benefits. She also criticized an SRS policy on how household incomes are calculated for families with illegal immigrants who seek food assistance...[Full Article]

Former Kansas welfare worker says illegal immigrants abused the system

TOPEKA | A hearing on an Arizona-style immigration law drew impassioned testimony today including a statement from a former welfare worker who described “overwhelming” levels of fraud by illegal immigrants.

Lana Reed, who worked as a bilingual specialist for the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services in Overland Park from 2008 to 2010, urged lawmakers to adopt the bill targeting illegal immigration.

She described a system overrun by illegal immigrants who used false Social Security numbers and other fraudulent documents to game the system.

“I witnessed overwhelming levels of fraud and corruption resulting in the waste of millions of taxpayer dollars,” Reed told the House Judiciary Committee. “Most of the fraud was conducted pursuant to policies of the SRS, which required employees to turn a blind eye to fraud and abuse…”...[Full Article]