The welfare law rendered many legal immigrants ineligible for federal benefits, including Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Supplemental Security Income. The law determined that only certain categories of legal immigrants would be deemed qualified aliens and thus may be eligible for federal benefits.
Most immigrants are ineligible for food stamps.
Finally, the current law not only counts immigrant sponsors incomes toward eligibility, but makes them liable for repayment of benefits. The President has vowed to reverse some of the unfair cuts in benefits to legal immigrants in his FY 2000 budget. The plan would also allow legal immigrants in the U.S. after that date who subsequently reach age 65 to be eligible for Food Stamps. This plan includes all the restorations in the President s plan, and more. The plan would give states the option of restoring all benefits to blind or disabled immigrants.