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FNS PR 0003-2004

Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623
Susan Acker (703) 305-2286

USDA Report Shows Newly Eligible Legal Immigrants
Are Accessing Food Stamp Benefits

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2004—The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released a report titled, Assessing Implementation of the 2002 Farm Bill’s Legal Immigrant Food Stamp Restorations, which finds that states successfully restored food stamp eligibility for many legal immigrants. It also found that over 150,000 legal immigrants were added to the food stamp caseload by the end of 2003 in the eight states featured in the report.

“This report indicates that more eligible recipients for nutrition assistance are receiving benefits,” said Agriculture Undersecretary for Food Nutrition and Consumer Services Eric M. Bost. “We applaud our state and advocacy partners who have worked very hard to ensure that all who are eligible know about the Food Stamp Program and understand how to access benefits. President Bush remains steadfast in his commitment to ensure that food stamp assistance is available to all eligible low income families and individuals, including legal immigrants.”

The 2002 Farm Bill restored food stamp eligibility to three groups of legal immigrants: the disabled, children under the age of 18 and non-citizens with 5 years of legal U.S. residency. This report examines the implementation of these provisions in California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The report focused on states with large immigrant populations or rapidly growing immigrant populations.

Increased participation among newly eligible immigrants is a Bush Administration priority. Initiatives to increase participation in immigrant communities include: airing Spanish language radio announcements about Food Stamp Program eligibility; making available Food Stamp Program materials in thirty-five languages; launching an on-line pre-screening tool that enables individuals to determine their eligibility for the program and the ability to calculate how much in benefits they might receive, among other initiatives. These initiatives, in coordination with efforts by states and advocacy organizations, helped increase awareness about the Food Stamp Program to newly eligible legal immigrants.

The Food Stamp Program, the first line of defense against hunger, is the cornerstone of the federal food assistance programs. The program provides crucial support to needy households and to those making the transition from welfare to work.

Assessing Implementation of the 2002 Farm Bill’s Legal Immigrant Food Stamp Restorations was prepared for USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan policy research and educational organization that examines the social, economic and governance challenges facing the nation. Further information about the Food Stamp Program, including the full report, is available at http://www.fns.usda.gov.

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