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Statement attributed to Jim Weill, president, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC).
WASHINGTON, February 9, 2018 — Congress has made deliberate decisions over the years to make discrete groups of immigrants, most often children, eligible for certain nutrition programs that protect health, food security, and learning. The Food Research & Action Center strongly believes that low-income people who are eligible for anti-hunger programs should not be deterred, penalized, or stigmatized, and should not suffer adverse immigration consequences for their legally authorized use of public benefits. By helping immigrants obtain needed nutrition, these programs strengthen all of our communities across the country.
Multiple administrations have recognized the value the federal anti-hunger programs provide in ensuring a strong and effective nutritional safety net nationwide and boosting health and education; extending help to immigrants in specified circumstances is a cornerstone of this effort. The nation must maintain this policy.
