As of Oct. 1, 2008, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the new name for the federal Food Stamp Program. The new name reflects the changes we’ve made to meet the needs of our clients, including a focus on nutrition and an increase in benefit amounts.
SNAP is the federal name for the program. State programs may have different names.
The 2002 Farm Bill restores SNAP eligibility to most legal immigrants that: Have lived in the country for 5 years; or Are receiving disability-related assistance or benefits, regardless of entry date; or Starting 10-1-03, are children regardless of entry date.
Certain non-citizens such as those admitted for humanitarian reasons and those admitted for permanent residence are also eligible for the program.
Eligible household members can get SNAP benefits even if there are other members of the household that are not eligible. (See Policy on Immigrants for information on qualified alien categories and eligibility)
Non-citizens that are in the U.S. temporarily, such as students, are not eligible.
A number of States have their own programs to provide benefits to immigrants who do not meet the regular SNAP eligibility requirements. For a table of those programs, see State Programs.
A dozen times, I have seen white folks AND illegal immigrants(especially) using food stamps. Then in the parking lot, I see them drive away in a Mercedes, or maybe a Cadillac Escalade ;-)