Public Benefits for Immigrants

Self Help Legal Information

• Immigrant Eligibility for Federal Programs: Overview

  Table showing eligibility for major federal public assistance programs, including Social Security and SSI, Food Stamps, TANF, Medicaid (Emergency and Full Scope), Children's Health Insurance, Medicare, HUD Public Housing and Section 8. (You must have a PDF reader on your computer to open this document. To get Adobe’s PDF Reader, click on the Get Adobe Reader icon to download.) Content Detail

  By:

  National Immigration Law Center

• Public Charge: When Is It Safe to Use Public Benefits?

  What is public charge? Can I use health benefits like Medicaid or children's insurance? Can I use food stamps (SNAP)? Can I use supplemental security income (SSI), temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) or general assistance? Read this document for answers and much more information. Also in Spanish/Español Read More

  By:

  National Immigration Law Center

• Sponsored Immigrants and Benefits

  What is a sponsor? What is an Affidavit of Support? Does a sponsor's income count when the immigrant applies for public benefits? Will the sponsor need to repay benefits used by the sponsored immigrants? (You must have a PDF reader on your computer to open this document. To get Adobe’s PDF Reader, click on the Get Adobe Reader icon to download.) Content Detail

  By:

  National Immigration Law Center

• How Do I Prevent My Child From Losing Benefits at Age 21?

  What is an "Aging Out" case? Does the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) prevent my child from "Aging Out"? Content Detail

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  American Immigration Law Center

• Living in the United States: A Guide for Immigrant Youth

  Do you know your immigration status? Do you know how to get a green card? Do you know how to get an I.D. or driver's license? Do you know how to get public benefits? Read this booklet for answers to these questions and much more. Also in Spanish/Español Read More

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  Immigrant Legal Resource Center

• Public Benefits for Battered Immigrant Women and Children

  Who are qualified immigrants? What benefits can qualified immigrants get? How do battered immigrants become qualified immigrants? What benefits are available to all immigrants? Read this information for answers to these questions and more. (You must have a PDF reader on your computer to open this document. To get Adobe’s PDF Reader, click on the Get Adobe Reader icon to download.) Content Detail

  By:

  Legal Momentum

• Social Security Numbers for Noncitizens

  How do I apply for a Social Security Number and card? Do I need proof of immigration status, work eligibility, age and identity? Read this fact sheet for answers to these questions and more information. Also in Spanish/Español Read More

  By:

  Social Security Administration

• Can Immigrants Get Unemployment Compensation?

  Which immigrant groups can get state unemployment compensation? Which groups can get federal unemployment? Read this document for answers to these questions and much more. (You must have a PDF reader on your computer to open this document. To get Adobe’s PDF Reader, click on the Get Adobe Reader icon to download.) Content Detail

  By:

  National Employment Law Project

• Normas para Obtener Cupones de Comida para los Inmigrantes word

  Para que una persona tenga derecho a recibir cupones de comida, la misma debe ser ciudadana estadounidense, pertenecer a un pequeño grupo de ciertas personas no ciudadanas o ser no ciudadano que reúna los requisitos. (Spanish version of Can Non Citizens Get Food Stamps? Note that this is a Microsoft Word document - You must have Microsoft Word on your computer to open this document.) Content Detail

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  Food Stamp Outreach Project

• La Elegibilidad de los Inmigrantes para Cobrar Desempleo word

  Página informativa para trabajadores - Spanish/Español version of Can Immigrants Get Unemployment Compensation? (Note that this is a Microsoft Word document - You must have Microsoft Word on your computer to open this document.) Content Detail

  By:

  National Employment Law Project

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Noncitizens

  Who can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? What is the seven year limit? Do I need proof of status? Do I need a Social Security Number? This fact sheet answers these questions and more. Also in Spanish/Español Read More

  By:

  Social Security Administration