Speech #1050009860

It Is run by the Social Security Administration. but draws Its resource from general tax revenues. SSI pays out about $2.4 billion per month to nearly 6 million beneflciarles. Nationwide. 12 percent of those recipients are legal immigrants. or were when they applied for SSI benefits. On Long island. 19.8 percent of recipients are legal irmrilgrants. or were when they applied. Nationwide. 522.000 Immigrant SSI recipients could become ineligible under welfare revisions to take effect in August. On Long Island. 4.929 are likely to lose SST. An additional 2.552 will be asked to show evidence of eligibility. but are not considered in jeopardy. According to the Social Security Administration. welfare changes will cut off all noncitizen immigrants from SSI benefits except: Refugees and Immigrants granted asylum. who are eligible only for the first five years after arrival. Immigrants whose deportation has boon suspended. eligibility Is limited to the first five years after arrival. Certain activeduty military personnel. Inchiding honorably discharged veterans. their spouses and dependent children. Permanent residents who can document 10 years of work by themselves or In conjunction with a spouse. * * Immigrants and SSI Percent of SSI recipients who are classified by the Social Security Administration as legal Immigrants: WET.FARE RnFORM STARTS HrrnTc HEoMP (By Kathy Matheson) Changes mandated by federal welfare reform are beginning to ripple slowly through Montgomery County. but not slowly enough for Silver Spring resident Mart Medina. Medina. who came to America in 1987 after fleeing civil war and communism back home in Nicaragua. received notice earlier this month that her Supplemental Security Income benefits will end in August unless she becomes an American citizen or meets one of five other narrow criteria. Medina has received SSI chocks for three years since breaking her arm and injuring her back while working at a hotel In San Antonio.