It was undoable. Most Jewish immigrants affected by the law came to the United States as refugees, a special immigrant status for those who emigrated with a well-founded fear of persecution. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society helped to bring in more than 370,000 Jewish refugees from the former Soviet Union in the past 20 years. Refugees receive eight months of government assistance after their arrival and can then apply for a range of benefits that are available to U.S. citizens. Refugees are not affected by the new law until five years after their arrival.
Some benefits continue until seven years after they arrive.
Under the new laws, if the refugees do not obtain citizenship within five years, they are barred from food stamps. After seven years, they lose SSI if they are not disabled or if they came after the welfare reform law was enacted in 1996. For many immigrants, the full effect of the law depends on where they live. While the federal government has ended all food stamp programs for legal immigrants, at least nine states have chosen to continue food stamps in one way or another. In New York, for example, thousands of elderly, disabled and child immigrants will continue to receive food stamps through the state.