This resource provides information on federal laws, regulations, and guidance that protect the information that immigrant families provide to public benefits agencies when applying for health, nutrition, cash assistance, child care, and other public benefits programs. It offers tips for communicating with state and local benefit agencies about these protections.
Table
This table provides information on privacy protections and information requirements for various federal benefits programs, including Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and more.
View the Table
We thank many partners, including the Food Research & Action Center, The Shriver Center on Poverty Law and the Legal Council for Health Justice. Please send any questions to Sonya Schwartz, Consultant, Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) or Tanya Broder, National Immigration Law Center Senior Counsel at [email protected].
Major Benefit Programs Available to Immigrants in California (Table)
Updated Jul 21, 2026 This table lists the programs for which certain immigrants residing in California are eligible. Originally published in May 2017.
NILC Responds to Trump’s Cruel ‘Public Charge’ Rule Change
Published Jul 16, 2026 Sarah Krieger, senior policy counsel at the National Immigration Law Center, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration's finalized “public charge”...
Tell USCIS You Don’t Want Increased Immigrant Surveillance
Published Jun 10, 2026 Updating an address should not require people to share unrelated personal and financial information with the federal government. Public comment is open until July 6 to oppose the change to Form...
Hundreds of Thousands of Immigrants are Losing Health Care and Food Aid, Thanks to Congress
Ben D’Avanzo and Yarely Martinez-Lopez
Published Jul 15, 2026 A year after H.R. 1 passed, hundreds of thousands of immigrants are likely to lose essential food and health care aid, following the bill’s new restrictions on their eligibility for SNAP, Medicaid, subsidized care on the Affordable Care Act...