Posted on 11/28/2011 5:41:57 PM PST by La Lydia
DODGE CITY — Advocates for children and the poor say a new state welfare policy is denying or reducing federal food aid to hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Kansas children.
“This is making an already difficult situation even more difficult,” said Debbie Snapp, who runs the Catholic Social Services office in Dodge City...But officials with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services say the new policy, enacted in October, is fairer than the one it replaced because it equalizes benefits for children of illegal immigrants with those for children whose parents are confirmed U.S. citizens.
“We’re not hurting anybody and we’re not discriminating against anybody and we’re not doing anything that’s illegal or in violation of federal regulations,” said Angela de Rocha, an SRS spokesperson, responding to the criticisms. "I don’t understand why illegal immigrant advocates want to raise a public debate about this policy.
“Are they saying they prefer the policy to be unequal, and to discriminate against American citizens and legal residents? Before, families in which one or more members declined to provide proof of legal residency were getting preferential treatment. Now, they're getting even-handed treatment."
At the heart of the issue is the state’s new way of defining “fair" ... especially because it dismantled a long-standing formula for determining food-stamp eligibility that continues to be used in most other states. The directive has not corrected inequity, they said, but instead has created new problems...
USDA regulations do not allow illegal immigrants to apply for food stamps for themselves. They are, however, allowed to apply on behalf of their minor children if the children were born in the United States. Citizenship is automatic for U.S.-born children regardless of the status of the parents....
Prior to October, food stamp eligibility for Kansas children of undocumented parents — as in most states — was determined by a formula that counted the parents’ income but reduced the total household benefits to account for the parents’ ineligibility.
For example, if the non-citizen parents in a five-person household — two parents, three U.S.-born children — earned $2,000 a month, that $2,000 was divided by five and multiplied by three to determine whether the family met the program’s income threshold and to decide the amount of food aid it would receive. In this example, the monthly household income would be counted as $1,200, making the three children together eligible for about $365 a month in food stamps, or about $121 per child.
By contrast, if the parents were U.S. citizens, the five people in the household would be eligible for a total household benefit of about $425 a month, or about $85 per person.
Current SRS officials concluded that the potentially greater per-person benefit under the old “prorated” formula was unfair even though the total household benefit was less for the family headed by undocumented parents.
SRS officials said the old formula had “resulted in households with non-citizen members receiving benefits at higher levels than households comprised entirely of American citizens. The new policy will result in citizen and non-citizen household income levels being treated equally and both types of households in the same circumstances will receive equal benefits, ending the unequal and discriminatory policy currently in place.”
But the new approach means some families that previously received benefits now receive none at all.
Generally, a three-person household living on $2,000 a month is not eligible for food stamps because its income exceeds the eligibility threshold. So before Oct. 1, the three U.S.-born children with non-citizen parents in the example above were eligible for about $365 a month in food stamps. But under the new policy they no longer are eligible for any.
The five-person family headed by U.S.-citizen parents is still eligible for about $425 in food assistance each month, or about $85 per person.
A “prorating” formula for determining household income remains in place in most other states and had been used in Kansas for years before it was changed by SRS Secretary Rob Siedlecki, who took the post in January as part of the new Brownback administration....
In Michigan we cut some 30,000 college kids off food stamps and have imposed other restrictions.
wow. We want illegals to get the same benefits as citizens?
insane
“By contrast, if the parents were U.S. citizens, the five people in the household would be eligible for a total household benefit of about $425 a month, or about $85 per person.”
We feed children breakfast and lunch at school, and in some cases dinner also. Why should parent with school age children be getting the same amount as those without children in school (below the age of 5)?
illegals ping
No. It works the other way.
Under the old program illegals could receive more than citizens under certain conditions. The revised program reduces the amount illegals receive in those cases:
"SRS officials said the old formula had “resulted in households with non-citizen members receiving benefits at higher levels than households comprised entirely of American citizens.The new policy will result in citizen and non-citizen household income levels being treated equally and both types of households in the same circumstances will receive equal benefits, ending the unequal and discriminatory policy currently in place.”
SRS officials said the old formula had “resulted in households with non-citizen members receiving benefits at higher levels than households comprised entirely of American citizens. The
I don't think that's how it's working out. The reporter does a very poor job explaining the chang, but in the examples given, the hypothetical family with illegal immigrant parents became no longer eligible for food stamps.
Btw, why can't we make food stamps usable ONLY for certain foods, e.g. dried beans, rice, rolled oats, peanut butter, milk, bread, eggs, cheese, and fresh fruit and veg?
Something like this is already done with the WIC ("Women Infants and Children). So it IS logistically possible.
This new policy makes sense but it will probably encourage illegal parents to move to another state.
Yes, Mr. Munro, you have grasped the idea.
Am I the only person here who categorically rejects the entire premise that “government welfare programs” should proudly be considered an “entitlement” for citizens of the USA?
Here's a better question. Why is any of my money being used to feed anyone, unless through my charity, I choose to feed them?
I wondered that too, when I watched a 5'2" 300 pound bleach blond (complete with capri pants and ankle tattoos) buy a large fountain drink and a King Size candybar with an EBT card, and then pull out a fat fistfull of change to buy 2 packs of smokes @ $4 a pack.
Junk Food” & Luxury Items
The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) defines eligible food as any food or food product for home consumption and also includes seeds and plants which produce food for consumption by SNAP households. The Act precludes the following items from being purchased with SNAP benefits: alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, hot food and any food sold for on-premises consumption. Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, medicines and vitamins, household supplies, grooming items, and cosmetics, also are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items
Seafood, steak, and bakery cakes are also food items and are therefore eligible items
Since the current definition of food is a specific part of the Act, any change to this definition would require action by a member of Congress. Several times in the history of SNAP, Congress had considered placing limits on the types of food that could be purchased with program benefits. However, they concluded that designating foods as luxury or non-nutritious would be administratively costly and burdensome.
Cutting off the illegal scum completely would do wonders toward getting them out of here.
???
Well... where else are Democrat politicians supposed to get the money they need to buy votes and get re-elected?
Obviously, they are just going to keep taking it from you. Oh well, what are you gonna do? (shrug)
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
- Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787.
Why are people getting food stamps and school luches, breakfast and some school dinner? That is like being paid twice.
they should only be paid summers and weekends for food stamps. they already get fed at school.
Frees up food stamps for necessities when you are having football parties, smoke and dope ins, barbecues, etc. Sorry, but many school districts also provide breakfasts, lunches and dinners during the summertime. Additionally, some have arranged to have bagged lunches to be available on Fridays to take home for the weekends. Can’t have those fat little chillins go hungry or mooch off mom and pops food stamps!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.