Don't Cut Off Food Stamps to Legal Immigrants
- by: Jennifer P.
- recipient: Washington Governor Christine Gregoire
Last February, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire ordered elimination of food stamps for 14,350 legal immigrants. A federal judge blocked the cutoff, since it discriminates based on citizenship status, but an appeals court just ruled that Washington has the right to withhold the nutritional program from non-citizens.
In 1996, the federal government began denying food stamps to legal immigrants who were not yet U.S. citizens, but seven states continued to do the right thing by making food assistance available to all low-income households, regardless of citizenship status. Now, Washington is set to erode anti-hunger assistance, which could set the stage for eliminating food stamp programs in the remaining six states.
Act now to tell Governor Gregoire that food is a basic human right and that it shouldn't be denied based on citizenship status. Tell her not to cut off food stamps for immigrants who have legal documentation.
We the undersigned urge you not to eliminate food stamps for immigrants who have legal documentation.
Though we recognize that an appeals court ruled that Washington has the right to withhold the nutritional program from non-citizens, we believe that food is a basic human right that should not be denied based on citizenship status.
In 1996, when the federal government began denying food stamps to legal immigrants who were not yet U.S. citizens, Washington stood its moral ground by making food assistance available to all low-income households, regardless of citizenship status. Cutting off this assistance now could set the stage for the erosion of food stamp programs in the remaining six states that offer aid to legal immigrants.
We call on you to ensure that the 14,350 legal immigrants in Washington state do not go hungry by continuing to allow them to participate in the food stamp program.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
