Update: Houston Charities Say Toys Program Is Open to All

Houston’s fire department and Salvation Army say that while they ask beneficiaries to register using Social Security and other information, no needy applicant is being turned away from their holiday toy drives, reports The Houston Chronicle.

The organizations said their registration procedures were described incorrectly in a previous article, in which immigration-rights activists raised concerns that children of illegal immigrants were having to go without toys because of the information checks. The charities say the measures are simply a way to try to prevent fraud.

“The Salvation Army is not in the business of verifying legal status,” said Juan Alanis, a spokesman for the charity. “We have to be good stewards. If we let people register without checking, that could be abused.”