Are you curious to know if an illegal immigrant can get food stamps? Then keep following me as I reveal the answer to you.
The Federal government has many food aid programs one of the major ones being the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.
Moreover, it provides low-income families with the benefit to buy food using the electronic benefits transfer card. So, keep reading! To know more about if illegal immigrants get food stamps or not?
READ MORE: Can illegal immigrants get food stamps?
Can Illegal Immigrants Get Food Stamps?
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Despite how this program SNAP is administered by the states. For instance, in California, the program is known as CalFresh and like the SNAP plan, illegal immigrants are not eligible to get food stamps.
The Non-Citizens That are Eligible with No Waiting Period for Food Stamps
It is only United States citizens and certain lawfully present non-citizens can receive SNAP benefits.
Also, Non-citizens are eligible based on their immigration status and must meet up with the SNAP eligibility requirements like income and resource limits.
The following are the non-citizens that qualify with no waiting period:
- Qualified foreign children under 18 years old.
- Refugees must be admitted under section 207 of INA (including victims of severe forms of trafficking).
- Victims of Trafficking under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000.
- Asylees under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Deportation withheld under 243(h) or 241(b)(3) of INA.
- Amerasian immigrants under 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act.
- Cuban of Haitian entrants as defined in 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980.
- Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants under Section 101(a)(27) of the INA Certain American Indians born abroad are Members of the Hmong or Highland.
- Laotian tribes, legally living in the U.S., that helped the U.S. military in the Vietnam era and their spouses or surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children.
- Elderly individuals born on or before August 22nd, 1931, and who lawfully resided in the U.S.
- Lawful Permanent Residents in the U.S. who are receiving government payments for disability or blindness Lawful Permanent Residents with a military connection.
Eligible Aliens After the Waiting Period
The qualified alien is a non-citizen with certain immigration status defined under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA).
The eligible alien that doesn’t belong to any of the non-citizen groups for food stamps or SNAP benefits after the waiting period of the person is:
- A Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) that has earned or be credited with, 40 quarters of work.
- Is an alien in one of the following groups that have been qualified status for 5 years:
Paroled for at least one year under section 212(d)(5) of INA.
Granted conditional entry under 203(a)(7) of INA in effect before April 1, 1980.
Battered spouse, child, or parent with a petition under 204(a)(1)(A) or (B) or 244(a)(3) of INA.
Who Is Not Eligible for Food Stamps?
Some categories of people are not qualified for food stamps regardless of their income or assets, like individuals who are on strike, all people that are illegal immigrants, and some students attending college more than half time.
Moreover, unemployed adults aged 18 to 48 who do not have children in the home and who do only have disabilities are limited to three months of food stamps.
READ MORE: CAN I GET FOOD STAMPS IF I’M UNDOCUMENTED?
How To Determine Eligibility for Food Stamps
Under the federal rules for you to qualify for the benefit your income and resources must meet three tests:
- Gross monthly income – the household income before any of the deductions is applied. Generally, it must be at 130% of the poverty line. If it is a family of three the poverty line used to calculate the food stamps benefits in federal fiscal year 2023 is $1,920 monthly. This, 130% of the poverty line for the three-person family is $2,495 a month or about $29,940 yearly. The poverty level is higher for bigger families and lower for smaller families.
- Net income after deductions is applied must be at or below the poverty line.
- Assets must fall below certain limits – the households without a member aged 60 or older or who has a disability can have assets of $2,750 or less and households with such a member must have $4, 250.
Calculating The Benefit Amounts for Food Stamps
Food stamps except families to receive benefits to spend 30% of their net income on food. Moreover, families with no net income receive the maximum benefit that is tied to the cost of USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan (TFP).
The TFP represents the cost of purchasing and preparing a nutritionally adequate, diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
In August 2021, USDA announced the long overdue update to the TFP that raised food stamps benefits and helped millions of families afford a healthy nutritious diet.
For households with a net income, the monthly food stamps benefit equals the maximum benefit for that household size minus the household’s expected contribution of 30% of its net income.
READ MORE: Illegal Immigrant – All You Should Know
Conclusion
As it has been established in the article that illegal immigrants are not eligible to get food stamps for you to qualify for this benefit you have to become their citizens legally.
