FNS Documents & Resources

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 granted Iraqi and Afghan aliens special immigrant status under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Individuals and family members granted this special immigrant status are eligible for resettlement assistance, entitlement programs, and other benefits the same as refugees admitted under the INA, except the period of eligibility cannot exceed six months.

The categories of noncitizens eligible to participate in the Food Stamp Program under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 have been expanded to include the minor children, spouses and in some cases the parents and siblings of victims of severe trafficking.

This memorandum supplements our Reauthorization Implementation Memo SP 4 by providing additional information on identifying migrant children and on the procedures that school food authorities and local education agencies should use to coordinate with the Migrant Education Program in order to document the categorical eligibility of migrant children for free meals.

This memorandum addresses questions have been raised by WIC state agencies regarding the eligibility determinations for individuals from military families which include military service personnel serving overseas or assigned to a military base and temporarily absent from the home. 

A letter about the summary of state options to urge full consideration of food stamp policy options, which can improve customer service and streamline program administration.

The Department of Justice is publishing a proposed rule in this issue of the Federal Register which proposes to establish clear standards governing a determination that an alien is inadmissible or ineligible to adjust status, or has become deportable, on public charge grounds. Before the proposed rule becomes final, the Immigration and Naturalization Service is publishing its field guidance on public charge issues as an attachment to this notice. 

The fiscal year 1997 Supplemental Appropriations Act gave states the option of purchasing federal food stamps for use in state-funded food assistance programs that provide nutrition assistance to legal immigrants and childless, able-bodied adults ineligible for the Food Stamp Program because of the three-month food stamp time limit.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, restricts participation in most food assistance programs based on citizenship and alien status. WIC is specifically exempted from these restrictions, however, states have the option to limit participation to citizens and qualified aliens. 

The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act makes a significant change to implementation of the food stamp eligibility provisions for noncitizens of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.