Cutting FoodShare for Immigrants

March 4, 2011

Cutting FoodShare for Immigrants

“The Governor recommends reducing funding to reflect the elimination of the state-only FoodShare program, which provides FoodShare benefits to legal immigrants who do not meet federal residency requirements.” (Department of Health Services Governor’s Budget Recommendations)

Federal food stamp benefits are available to qualified immigrants who receive SSI disability income, are under 18 years of age, or have lived in the U.S. continuously for five years as a qualified immigrant.  Each month, the State-Option FoodShare Program provides vital food assistance for approximately 1,500 immigrants who do not meet these federal requirements.

Many of these immigrants are able-bodied adults who are unable to find work in the tight labor market or disabled adults who have been unable to access SSI disability benefits.  Others may be pregnant women who are unable to find jobs or unable to work due to their pregnancy.  Denying food stamp benefits to recent immigrants will result in lower maternal and child health for this group because access to food stamps yields increased birth weights, especially for infants with the lowest birth weights, and decreased neonatal infant mortality.

This cut will also increase food insecurity among children as immigrant parents lose their food stamp benefits, decreasing the ability of the household to buy sufficient and balanced meals.  Food insecurity is linked with behavior problems and limits the ability of students to achieve their academic potential.

Permalink