As Ohio complies with federal changes coming from President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, thousands of immigrant families will face a crisis.
Refugees, immigrants, green card holders, asylum seekers, and legal residents who have been in the United States for fewer than five years will lose SNAP benefits, our country’s largest anti-hunger program.
This will go into effect on Nov. 1 and there are a few reasons this will cause a crisis among communities.
No clarity
This administration is already notorious for leaving local authorities in the dark. Local officials are not communicated with, case managers are confused, and families are left to find out they have been abandoned the hard way.
Many of the immigrant families who need food assistance cannot speak English, especially the ones that have just arrived to the States. They have yet to be told they will not have the extra money to buy food for their children. Many will not even find out until their card declines at the checkout line on Nov. 1.
There is more uncertainty about the stipulations because while families with children under 18 can reapply for some benefits, some have already been rejected for not residing in the United States for at least five years.
Nevertheless, many non-English-speaking families will have trouble regaining any assistance because they have difficulty accessing language help and transportation.
This all leads to the last nail in the coffin of why these families being hurt harms the community.
The nail
Many refugee and immigrant families, especially recent arrivals who do not speak English yet, are already met with the challenges of finding work, enrolling their children in school, receiving language assistance, maintaining their immigration status and surviving.
Now, some of those workers, who have lost or will lose housing, heating and Medicare assistance, are stuck trying to provide for their families by working low-wage jobs with no help, no assistance and no welcome.
The coffin
We used to be looked at as a country of opportunity and freedom. Find your congress representative’s contact here, and let them know we do not elect people who vote against our community members.
Tanner Smith is a columnist. Contact him at [email protected].