SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is expected to be the first state to offer food benefits to immigrants residing in the U.S. illegally under a state budget plan revealed this week.
The unique policy fills in safety net gaps, as immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status are not eligible for federal benefits such as food stamps.
But the new program only benefits Californians over 55 years old, dismissing pleas by anti-poverty advocates to include eligible immigrants of all ages.
