Assistance!
Public Benefits are in place to help those who need short-term assistance, in the form of food, cash assistance to pay bills, and medical help. Each State and the Federal government have programs in place, but for an applicant, the process is difficult and sometimes humiliating.
Undocumented people, those who are in the U.S. without any immigration status, are NOT eligible for public benefits. An undocumented person can only get EMERGENCY medical care, in a real emergency.
Our immigration laws are written to make sure that NEW immigrants, those who get their papers, are NOT eligible for benefits for a long period of time – typically 10 years. However, once that immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, then eligibility for benefits follows. A person applying for permanent residence must submit an Affidavit of Support, (a contract with the U.S. government), promising that the U.S. citizen or permanent resident who signs the Affidavit /contract, will keep the new immigrant OFF of welfare.
Recently, the President has released a proposed rule change to make it even harder to get legal immigrant status, by making an applicant provide MORE documentation that they will not need public benefits. It is still proposed – not the law, and before panicking, please call and check with your immigration attorney or BIA representative, and review your own situation.
I believe that our nation is strong enough to have safety nets for those families that need it – that is one thing that makes America great – and we need to make sure that our safety nets are strong enough to catch and save those humans who need it.
A friend once told me that we are all just one accident away from disability - the person who needs that strong safety net might be you or a loved one, so encourage your elected officials to keep strong safety nets in place.
