EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE TO IMMIGRANTS

Massachusetts has long been a leader in welcoming immigrant communities – but our more could be done in support our neighbors in meeting their basic needs. Thousands of legally present immigrants, including Dreamers, TPS holders, refugees, and survivors of violence, are excluded from SNAP and cash assistance solely due to their immigration status. These exclusions leave working families without access to the most basic support while seeking to build their lives as our neighbors in the Commonwealth.

Under current federal rules, work authorization is not enough for low-income individuals to be eligible for SNAP. As a result, many immigrant households – including those fully- employed, with children, and/or with serious health conditions – are denied benefits. Based on data from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), an estimated 9,600 legally present immigrants in Massachusetts are expected to lose SNAP eligibility under new federal restrictions. This would result in a loss of approximately $20M per year in federal food benefits to the state.

In response, the Feeding Our Neighbors (FON) Coalition – formed in 2023 to protect access to SNAP for immigrant residents – successfully secured temporary state-funded SNAP benefits for legally present immigrants excluded under federal rules. However, those benefits expired in May 2024 due to a lack of funding. Project Bread is a proud member of the FON Coalition and is now advocating for permanent state-funded support through this bill.

This bill would:

• Establish a permanent state-funded program to provide basic needs assistance, including nutrition and cash benefits, to legally present immigrants excluded from federal programs. 
• Protect approximately 9,600 immigrant residents from losing their access to food assistance under new federal rules outlined in the Republican Mega Bill. 
• Prevent the loss of an estimated $20M per year in federal food benefits to the state. 
• Advance equity and economic stability for immigrant families who are currently penalized for their status, despite their contributions to our communities. 

• On September 16, 2025, Project Bread testified in support of this bill to the Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. 
• On January 12, 2026, this bill was accompanied with H.214/S.118 An Act to Lift Kids Out of Deep Poverty. That bill was reported favorably by the committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means the same day.