SILVER SPRING, Md. — HIAS calls on Congress to immediately restore access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for refugees, asylees, and others who were granted legal protection for humanitarian reasons, who have been wrongly excluded from food assistance.
Now that the federal government shutdown has come to an end, millions of Americans who were cut off from their SNAP benefits will hopefully be able to access them again immediately. However, many people are still going to be left behind. Earlier this year, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1) explicitly excluded large numbers of people who came to the U.S. after fleeing violence, war, and persecution — cutting off critical food assistance for more than 250,000 people, including approximately 50,000 children.
“This policy is both meanspirited and counterproductive,” said Naomi Steinberg, HIAS Vice President of U.S. Policy and Advocacy. “Resettled refugees and asylees have been granted legal protection to permanently live and work in the United States. Denying families who are just getting their feet on the ground in their new American communities is unspeakably misguided, especially when denying basic nutritional assistance undermines their ability to achieve self-sufficiency and stability as quickly as possible.”
HIAS also expressed concern about confusing guidance recently issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that does not make clear that resettled refugees asylees, and holders of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) who have Legal Permanent Resident status do not need to wait five years before becoming eligible for SNAP benefits. U.S. law clearly exempts these populations from such waiting periods. The lack of clear federal guidance is leaving state agencies uncertain about how to proceed, and, in some cases, is prompting them to consider blocking lawful permanent residents from accessing the benefits they are legally entitled to receive.
“This confusion is creating chaos and sowing fear for families who are navigating their new lives in America,” Steinberg continued. “Every day of delay means more families are at risk of going to work and school hungry, which is truly unconscionable.”
Jewish tradition is abundantly clear on the need to feed the hungry and care for the stranger. Access to food is a basic human right, HIAS calls on the USDA to issue clear guidance affirming that refugees, asylees, and SIV holders remain exempt from the five-year waiting period for SNAP and call on Congress to take swift action to reverse the exclusions included in H.R. 1.
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