Immigrants and Food Stamps: When Are You Qualified for SNAP Benefits?
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
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Most eligible low-income households can receive SNAP benefits if they are American citizens or meet immigration status requirements.
“Older adults and young children, single parents and married couples, veterans, people living with disabilities — anyone can struggle to put meals on the table, regardless of their race, sex, gender or national origin,” explained Brandy Bauer, former director of the National Council on Aging (NCOA)’s MIPPA Resource Center.
The NCOA stated that this includes the “foreign-born,” which are a demographic of naturalized citizens or people with permanent resident status, refugees, undocumented immigrants and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP eligibility does not extend to undocumented non-citizens, but lawfully present non-citizens may qualify. There’s often confusion, but the USDA says a non-citizen must be a “qualified alien” — including lawful permanent residents, asylees, refugees, victims of trafficking, etc. — to be eligible for SNAP. Non-citizens, like tourists or students, are typically not eligible for benefits.
All individuals must also satisfy other SNAP eligibility requirements and meet one additional condition, such as five years of residence in the U.S., 40 qualifying work quarters, children under 18, being blind or disabled, individuals 60 and older and lawfully residing in the U.S. or having a specifically defined military connection.
“The guidance seems clear, but in reality, the rules governing SNAP for eligible non-citizens are complex and can be hard to interpret,” Bauer added.
Lawmakers in Massachusetts recently approved $6 million in funding under the SNAP supplemental budget. The expansion will cover residents who are not citizens but are in the immigration process or who already maintain legal status, NBC Boston reported. The state said it anticipates implementing all necessary changes for the program to take effect by spring 2024. The program will run until all supplemental budget funds are exhausted.
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