Posted on 07/12/2010 4:57:35 AM PDT by Colofornian
At the beginning of July, more than 2,000 families with undocumented immigrants stopped receiving food stamp benefits due to a change in Utah’s rules. Now a growing number of them are showing up at emergency food pantries confused and needing help.
“But, of course, I have to feed my family,” said an undocumented mother of five who works as a housekeeper at a nursing home. She is among those who recently lost food aid.
Earlier this year, the state announced it would begin to fully count the income earned by all members of a household when determining food stamp eligibility. Previously, only a portion of undocumented immigrants’ income was counted in the food stamp calculation, due to the limitations of an old computer system.
That meant, in some prior cases, that a family with several undocumented members might qualify for food stamps although a family of native Utahns making the same amount of money might not.
“We believe this is fair and equitable across the board to treat all people equally when it comes to calculating the benefits that people get when they apply for food stamps,” said Curt Stewart, a spokesman for the state Department of Workforce Services, which oversees the food stamp program.
Despite the new rules, a blended family with children born in America and undocumented parents could still qualify for help if their income was low enough. The new computer-based eligibility system began July 1.
But the families who have showed up at Hildegarde’s Pantry at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Salt Lake City have not understood the bureaucratic changes and wonder if Americans are being given preference over them.
“I’m worried about running out of food,” said Lydia Herrera, the pantry director. “Everybody is complaining about that: ‘they cut my food stamps.’”
Because families received the final decision in mid- to late June, they were often not prepared for the financial hit. The housekeeper’s family normally received about $300 in food stamps each month. Now she plans to visit pantries more often seeking donated food.
“We need to eat right for the [children’s] health,” she said.
Not all pantries are reporting a bump in need from the Latino population. However, some pantries do not inquire about a family’s specific circumstances.
In addition to the 2,220 households that lost benefits, another group will qualify for fewer food stamp dollars now that their income is fully counted. The number in that group was not available from the Department of Workforce Services this week. The state had originally estimated that a total of almost 8,000 households could be affected by the food stamp rule change.
Gina Cornia, the executive director of the advocacy group Utahns Against Hunger, said organizations like hers or others should perhaps follow up with Latino families at pantries to see if the rule change is the reason they’re in need.
Even if they don’t qualify for food stamps, these remain poor, struggling families, she said.
“The failing of the food stamp program is that it doesn’t capture all the families that need help,” Cornia said. “If you make one dollar over, you’re not eligible.”
And not providing food stamps doesn’t mean these families’ needs are going to diminish, said state Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City.
"The cost is going to shift somewhere else or there is going to be other social consequences of not having food for people,” she said.
Yet she recognized that Utahns of all backgrounds are struggling right now.
“I’m more concerned about the children,” Robles said. “The children are the ones who are impacted. They are the future in the nation.”
From the article: Earlier this year, the state announced it would begin to fully count the income earned by all members of a household when determining food stamp eligibility. Previously, only a portion of undocumented immigrants’ income was counted in the food stamp calculation, due to the limitations of an old computer system. That meant, in some prior cases, that a family with several undocumented members might qualify for food stamps ALTHOUGH A FAMILIY OF NATIVE UTAHNS MAKING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY MIGHT NOT. “We believe this is fair and equitable across the board to treat all people equally when it comes to calculating the benefits that people get when they apply for food stamps,” said Curt Stewart, a spokesman for the state Department of Workforce Services, which oversees the food stamp program.
The expandeded definition of American 'equality': Some are 'more' equal than others. As for "benefits," prospective employees always discuss "benefits" when negotiating for a new job; we're long past granting prospective citizens to have this same negotiating power. The system is badly in need of an overhaul.
From the article: "The cost is going to shift somewhere else or there is going to be other social consequences of not having food for people,” she said.
Well, the cost-shift already has taken place: From one country to another; from one illegal immigrant family to the taxpayer. So, according to this Utah legislator, we can't even bring illegal immigrants in line to receive the same "benefits" as citizens without this great "social cost." Sorry, we've already been overbearing this great social cost accelerated by Johnson's 'Great Society' of the 1960s!
..????...get your food stamps in Mexico
““But, of course, I have to feed my family,””
Well, someone has to.....she is the only one who seems to not want to do it
That's the part that burns me up. GO HOME! Illegals shouldn't receive any benefits in this country and Americans should always get preference over them. Geesh! What a screwed up mess.
Yeah, thats the same thing I thought. In fact, after reading that line, I scrolled back up to make sure this article wasn’t a satire.
The socialist media cannot bring themselves to calling people who are illegally in this country illegal aliens.
They need to locate this nursing home, impose a heavy fine, and demand that it fire this woman and any other illegals working there.
Food pantries should be forbidden by law to give food to illegal aliens.
Make them go home. There should be nothing here for them.
Illegals complaining that they are no longer put at front of food stamp line in Utah.
The democrats now ( as with the amnesty RINOs before them ) keep telling us that we need to get illegals in the system so they pay taxes. What taxes are they talking about? Do they mean so illegals can get tax credit welfare checks?
About damn time!!
Don't the Democrats always want to crack down on the so-called "greedy" employers hiring illegals? Why isn't someone from ICE paying this nursing home a visit?
They shouldn't have been given them in the first place. Why should American citizens work their butts off to support people from other countries? At the very least, their home country should be sending them their aid.
and wonder if Americans are being given preference over them.
Well, DUH. Of course American citizens should be given preference. This is our country!
Man, these people have their nerve. They sneak in here and then demand we all work to support them!
Go home, take your children with you.
Wonder if the maoist will bring suit against Utah.
An ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT should NEVER have gotten any government aid of any sort - EVER!!!
Take away their free ride and they’ll leave on their own.
Break out the violin strings....Yeah, I don’t want to see anyone go hungry in America that is correct. Of course, I don’t want to pay my neighbors bills either, unless they have some hardship such as loss of job or medical. So, adding these concepts together, someone who is not my legal neighbor, I have no compassion for...go home. I will certaintly underwrite a box lunch for the bus, car, plane or boat trip back to there.
Furthermore, I don’t want to underwrite the wages for those individuals who cannot bring themselves to tend their own homes or for businessess which refuse to pay their workers a living wage. So, if one is found to be paying an illegal a poverty wage, send them to jail. A few instances of this and that should end the problem. As I have said before, no benefits, no jobs they self deport.
“...St. Mark’s Cathedral...” Good, let “The Church” feed them.
Now a growing number of them are showing up at emergency food pantries confused and needing help"Hola senor, I am confused and need help. Previously I was able to break the law with impunity and commit fraud by swindling the taxpayers in an attempt to get free food for my family instead of paying for it myself. This mode is no longer successfull. I'm confused!"
Same here.
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