Accessing the Social Safety Net: Expanding Economic Justice for Immigrant Families

Non-citizens, regardless of their immigration status, face numerous barriers in accessing public benefits and other crucial economic supports that are vital for their day-to-day stability. Despite rampant misinformation about immigrants’ use of federal means-tested public benefits and tax credits, the reality is that most of these benefits are unavailable to non-citizens, including many lawful permanent residents. For those immigrants who are eligible for certain public benefits or health care, many factors hinder immigrant families’ access to these crucial benefits for children, even though they are legally entitled to them. These factors include burdensome requirements as well as families’ fear that information they provide to any government agency could be shared with immigration authorities and used against them. The combination creates a tremendous chilling effect on immigrant access to crucial economic assistance. 

This course, presented by Avideh Moussavian of the National Immigration Law Center, connects advocates to information and resources that will assist them in addressing their clients' needs beyond immigration legal assistance to ensure greater economic security for their clients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Develop a basic understanding of non-citizen eligibility for federal means-tested public benefits and economic supports
2. Understand common barriers that prevent immigrant access to these programs
3. Receive resources and guidance on how to help eliminate these barriers to expand your clients’ economic security