Elderly and disabled immigrants may lose financial aid, By Alexandra Zavis, August 22, 2010, Los Angeles Times: “Some of the poorest elderly and disabled people admitted to this country on humanitarian grounds will lose their cash assistance in October unless they have naturalization applications pending, federal officials say. Letters have been sent to 3,800 recipients of Supplemental Security Income, including some in California, warning them that their eligibility for the federal program could end Sept. 30, said Lowell Kepke, a spokesman for the Social Security Administration. The deadline has caused concern among refugee advocates, who point out that some of these legal immigrants aren’t able to pass the citizenship exam or can’t yet apply because of delays processing their green cards. The refugees, asylees and other humanitarian immigrants are admitted to the U.S. because they have been victims of war, persecution or other disasters in their home countries…”
Tag: Supplemental Security Income
SSI and Eligibility for Food Stamps – California
USDA urges California to reverse food stamp policy, even though some could lose benefits, By Alexandra Zavis, August 10, 2010, Los Angeles Times: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture is encouraging California to consider reversing a policy that prevents some of the state’s poorest and most vulnerable residents from applying for food stamps, even though it could cost some current recipients their benefits. The suggestion, contained in a letter to the California Department of Social Services, has raised concern among some advocates for the poor who were hoping federal authorities would allow the state to open the food stamp program only to those recipients of cash assistance for impoverished elderly and disabled people who would not be adversely affected. ‘We really do want to make sure that we protect those households with disabled children and low-income seniors that benefit from the current policy,’ said George Manalo-LeClair, senior director of legislation for California Food Policy Advocates. The letter received Friday from the Department of Agriculture said federal law prohibits California from changing the rules for some and not all recipients of Supplemental Security Income…”
Supplemental Security Income and Refugees
Many indigent refugees to lose federal assistance, By Robert Pear, July 31, 2010, New York Times: “The Social Security Administration is about to terminate cash assistance for thousands of indigent refugees who are severely disabled or over the age of 64. ‘You will lose your Supplemental Security Income on Oct. 1,’ the agency says in letters being mailed to more than 3,800 refugees. All fled persecution or torture. Many are too old or infirm to work and are not yet eligible to become United States citizens. Federal law sets a seven-year limit on payments to refugees. The maximum federal payment is $674 a month for an individual and $1,011 a month for a couple. In 2008, Congress provided a two-year extension of benefits for elderly and disabled refugees, asylum seekers and certain other humanitarian immigrants, including victims of sex trafficking. The extra eligibility period is now ending, and Congress has not taken action to extend it…”