A newly negotiated agreement on Medicaid funding in North Carolina would provide $319 million to fully fund the state's program, but a provision added by Republican leadership has raised concerns among immigration advocates. The Department of Health and Human Services would be required to refer any applicant or recipient for which citizenship or satisfactory immigration status could not be verified to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or any other federal authority for investigation and enforcement. The provision could discourage people from seeking medical care, particularly in families with mixed immigration status. Immigration lawyers question whether the provision is needed or legally sound. The bill's passage is pending a final vote on the bill.