By Tanya Broder
Public Benefits Policy Director

      The week of July 9, the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 2608, the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act, on a voice vote.  Representatives Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jerry Weller (R-IL), Phil English (R-PA), Pete Stark (D-CA), and Xavier Becerra (D-CA) spoke eloquently about the persecution, injustice, and torture from which refugees flee, as well as the hardships they face in the U.S.  They noted that this bipartisan bill, urged by faith-based, immigrant rights, and anti-poverty groups across the country, also received support from the Social Security Administration.

        The bill now moves to the Senate, where intensive efforts will be needed to ensure that this legislation can pass and be signed into law this year.

        HR 2608 would allow low-income seniors and persons with disabilities who fled persecution (refugees, persons granted asylum or withholding of deportation/removal, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Amerasian immigrants) to receive critical assistance under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for an additional two years.  Without assistance, these seniors and persons with disabilities risk homelessness, hunger and despair.

        These humanitarian immigrants are often unable to naturalize within the current seven-year eligibility period due to immigration backlogs, delays and other barriers related to their age or disability.  The House-passed bill would allow all humanitarian immigrants to receive assistance as non–U.S. citizens for a period of nine years after obtaining the relevant status.  Humanitarian immigrants already terminated from SSI due to the seven-year time limit would be eligible to receive SSI as noncitizens for an additional two years. The bill would further extend the time limit for humanitarian immigrants who have a pending naturalization application.  These new extensions would be in effect during a three-year period, beginning Oct. 1, 2007, and ending Sept. 30, 2010. 

        Fact sheets and more information on the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act is available on our “Supplemental Security Income” web page.