Are immigrants eligible for government assistance?

Federal programs such as Medicaid, Social Security, and food assistance (e.g., SNAP) have strict eligibility rules that are often based on income or work history. For immigrants, there’s typically another requirement: an eligible immigration status.

Since 1996, access to many federal programs has been limited to citizens and people that the law defines as “qualified aliens” — such as green card holders, refugees, and asylees. In 2025, a series of changes, most tied to legislation known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), modified access for several groups.