After 10 years of consistent gains, the number of immigrant families enrolled in SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, fell by 10 percent in 2018.
New, preliminary research presented this month at the American Public Health Association conference shows that the drop was highest for for families who have been in the U.S. for fewer than five years. It’s a reflection of what Harvest Public Media and other outlets reported earlier this year: Some families may be choosing not to participate in federal benefit programs out of fear that it could impact their immigration status.
Lead researcher Allison Bovell-Ammon, at Boston Medical Center, cautions that the research is ongoing and that there are many possible explanations, including an improved economy. But, she says: “We think that these policies are forcing immigrants to choose between feeding their children today and what their future immigration status may be.”
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