ACTION ALERT: Proposed changes to Social Security, SNAP eligibility

UPDATE: The submission period for public comments for proposed changes to SNAP eligibility requirements has been extended to April 10, 2019.

With very limited turnaround time for public input, several proposed changes to Social Security eligibility, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access and reporting immigration benefit fraud threaten to exclude or target vulnerable members of our immigrant communities.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to change SNAP eligibility requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents who are unable to document sufficient weekly hours of work. This requirement change would eliminate SNAP benefits for 755,000 adults and cut SNAP food spending by $15 billion over 10 years by making it harder for states to avert the time limit for people in areas with insufficient jobs. The change would also have disparate impacts on certain groups, including immigrants and people of color.

Please take a few minutes to tell USDA that you oppose this change by submitting a comment by Tuesday, April 10, 2019.

Submit public comments to Federal Register. Get background, comment templates, and other resources compiled by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).

• The Social Security Administration (SSA) is proposing to remove “Inability to communicate in English” from a list of education categories that help determine who qualifies for Social Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If finalized, this rule change will most likely decrease access for LEP community members with disabilities.Currently, English proficiency is one of the considerations used by the Social Security Administration when making a disability determination for claimants who don’t meet a medical impairment listing. While limited proficiency in English is not alone sufficient to establish disability, this may be considered in coordination with other factors, including the skill level of the person’s previous jobs, whether any of those skills could be transferred to a new job, and the physical residual functional capacity of the claimant.

Please take a few minutes to tell SSA that you oppose this change by submitting a comment by Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

Submit public comments to Federal Register. Find more information on JusticeInAging.org.

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is proposing a new notice/comment form to report claims of immigration benefit fraud. The proposal is broad, vague, and provides no clarity on how the collected information will be used. Information can potentially be shared liberally with other law enforcement agencies. This proposal encourages profiling and abuse, violates due process and confidentiality, inhibits transparency, and endangers survivors of abuse.

Please take a few minutes to tell USCIS that you oppose this proposal by submitting a comment by Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

Submit public comments to Federal Register.