Immigrants and Public Benefits -- BBT Training and Resource Materials

The following are materials are for the March 19, 2025 Immigrants and Public Benefits training. These are the core materials presented as part of the annual Mass Law Reform Institute and Mass Continuing Legal Education Basic Benefits Training (BBT) Series. We've also added some additional materials beyond the in-person training to assist you and your clients understand their rights and protections:

• Training Agenda (pdf)
• About the Faculty (pdf)

Immigration Basics for Benefits Purposes

• Immigrants and Public Benefits Powerpoint
• Statewide Referral List
• Chart identifying the codes on immigrant documents
• U.S. State Department – Foreign Affairs Manual, 9 FAM 502.1-3 (Immigrant Classification Symbols) (link)

Immigrants and Housing

• Immigrants and Housing 

Immigrants and Health

• Immigrants' eligibility for health benefits (powerpoint)
• Basic Benefit Health Access Training Materials (Feb 2025)
• Health benefits for all: (English, Spanish and Portuguese)
• Understanding Immigrant Eligibility for MassHealth and the Health Connector (2025)
• Immigrant Eligibility Diagram
• 2025 Upper Income Limits for MassHealth and Other Health Programs 
• Health benefits for all: (MLRI, English, Spanish and Portuguese)
• Immigrant Toolkit (link is external) (HCFA, public charge info in multiple languages)
• State-funded MassHealth Standard for Certain Immigrants Needing Long Term Care 
• MassHealth and Health Connector, Examples of Immigration Documents(link is external)
• MassHealth Website on Non-Citizen Eligibility
• Jan 2024 MassHealth and Health Connector Webinar on Understanding Citizenship and Immigration Requirements in Health Programs
• Recent MassHealth Eligibility Operations Memos (EOMs) about MassHealth Eligibility for Noncitizens
  •  EOM 23-17: Pathway to Short-Term and Long-Term-Care for Family Assistance Members at a Chronic Disease and Rehabilitation Hospital or Nursing Facility – Updated PDF Word
  • EOM 22-11: Eligibility for Displaced Ukrainian Citizens PDF | Word
  • EOM 22-04: Verification of PRUCOL Status PDF | Word
  • EOM 22-03: Eligibility Rules for Cuban and Haitian Entrants PDF | Word
  • EOM 21-15: MassHealth Eligibility for Afghan Immigrant Evacuees PDF | Word
• Massachusetts Attorney General’s Guidance
  • Information for immigrant patients and their health care providers on immigration enforcement (Jan 31, 2025)
• MIRA Coalition
  •  Know Your Rights Materials including Policy Updates 
  • Immigration Helpline
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
  • Know Your Rights To Health Care and Health Insurance (Jan 2025)
  • Health Care Providers and Immigration Enforcement: Know Your Rights, Know Your Patients’ Rights (Jan 2025)
  • Privacy Protections in Selected Public Benefit Programs (Feb 2018)
  • Know Your Rights: Expedited Removal Expansion (Jan 2025)
  • Factsheet: Trump’s Rescission of Protected Areas Policies Undermines Safety for All (Jan 2025)
• Five Things To Know About the Executive Order Targeting Immigrants and Federal Assistance Programs (Feb 2025)

Cash and Nutrition Benefits

• Cash Assistance and Food Benefits Presentation
• FAQ on SNAP for legally present immigrants in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole
• FAQ on Haitians and cash/food benefits in English and Haitian Creole
• DTA Brochure: What Non-Citizens Need to Know (In eight languages) 
• Income/food benefits and immigrant eligibility crosswalk chart
• Department of Transitional Assistance Language Access Plan and complaint procedure
• Chart on Immigrant Eligibility for Income and Food Benefits
• Cash and food assistance benefits for low-income Haitians (available in English and Haitian Creole)
• State-funded SNAP in Massachusetts (available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Portuguese)
• SNAP Advocacy Guide sections on immigrant eligibility (questions 48 – 55)
• TAFDC Advocacy Guide sections on immigrant eligibility (questions 8 – 10)
• EAEDC Cash Assistance FAQ on eligibility and rights  
• FindYourFunds.org
• Find your Funds, Tax Credit powerpoint by Children’s HealthWatch
• Lift Our Kids Coalition’s campaign to raise TAFDC and EAEDC grants
• Healthy Families Tax Credits Coalition – Campaign to extend the Earned Income Tax Credit to Immigrants with ITINs
• DTA’s policy guidance for DTA cash and SNAP workers. It provides policy information for the EAEDC, SNAP and TAFDC programs. It also includes BEACON data-entry and procedural steps for case managers to process cases. The following sections of DTA’s Online Guide cover non-citizen eligibility: 
  • Home > SNAP > Eligibility Requirements > Noncitizen
  • Home > TAFDC > Program Nonfinancial Requirements > Noncitizen > Eligible Qualified Noncitizen
  • Home > EAEDC > General Nonfinancial Requirements > Noncitizen > Eligible Qualified Noncitizens

Public Charge

• Public Charge Final Regulation
• USCIS Public Charge Policy Manual
• Mass Legal Services Public Charge Fact Sheet
• PIF Resources
• MIRA PIF KYR Website
• MIRA Know Your Rights and Best Practices for Service Providers
• Safe Benefits List for MA
• USCIS Public Charge Resources
• The State Department's Foreign Affairs Manual (Public Charge Guidance) 
• Protecting Immigrant Families Information on Public Charge, in multiple languages