Following a protest by immigration advocates, the Salvation Army of Houston will stop checking the Social Security numbers of those receiving free toys for the holidays, which some said was an effort to prevent illegal immigrants from benefiting from the charity.
The Houston Chronicle reported earlier this week that the Houston branch of the Salvation Army checked for Social Security numbers or other proof of legal residency when choosing recipients for toys.
A day later, a spokesman said they only check such documents to prevent fraud, such as registering at multiple locations.
On Wednesday, the Salvation Army of Houston changed its policies and will not ask for Social Security numbers.
“It was never our intention to offend anyone with our registration requirement to provide a Social Security number, or to give the impression that we were discriminating against those individuals and families who do not have a Social Security number,” the Salvation Army said in a statement.
A spokesman told the Associated Press that they made the change following a protest in Los Angeles. Several parents and children demonstrated outside a Salvation Army store there, carrying signs that read, “A gift from the heart, doesn’t ask for documents.”
