DEWINE. LIEBERMAN. and MIKULSKI are offering legislation to correct this flaw. The Fairness for Legal Immigrants Act of 1997 would grandfather in from the ban on SSI and food stamps: those elderly and disabled legal permanent residents who were receiving SSI and food stamps on or before August 22. 1996 and. those refugees who were in the country as of August 22. 1996. This legislation prohibits SSI and food stamps for legal permanent residents who are not refugees and who were not receiving SSI and food stamps as of August 22. 1996. This legislation also prohibits SSI and food stamps for all legal permanent residents and refugees coming to this country following the date of enactment of the Welfare Reform Bill. Mr. President. to not correct this flaw in the bill represents an enormous unfunded mandate to States and counties by simply shifting the cost of caring for the seriously Ill. disabled. and elderly legal immigrants who are destitute and have no other way to survive. As I speak. SSA is sending out 125.000 SSI ban notices per week. to 800.000 legal immigrants who are on SSI nationwide. SSA estimates that more than 62.5 percent or 500.000 people currently receiving SSI benefits nationwide will lose their benefits under the current lawmore than 40 percent. 205.000 of them in California. Many of these elderly and disabled legal immigrants have no family or friends to turn to for support and will becon.e completely destitute. Their only recourse will be county general assistance programs or. at worst. homeless shelters. Let me give you an example from my home State: My staff met with a 73yearold legal immigrant on SSI. She was welcomed to this county from Vietnam in 1980. She was a refugee from communism with no family in the United States. She speaks no English and she is suffering from kidney failure. She requires dialysis three times a week.
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immigrant refugees immigrants refugee Immigrants